Mechanistic investigation of enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate by nuclear magnetic resonance

The biocatalytic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by thermophilic microbial enzymes has recently emerged as an option for a future eco-friendly recycling process for plastic waste, as it occurs under mild conditions and requires no harmful additives. In this chapter, we present a brief overview of solution and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods for the characterization of composition and chemical microstructure of PET and also associated chain dynamics over multiple time scales. Such detailed information provides an understanding of the enzymatic PET degradation mechanism by polyester hydrolases at the molecular level.