Beneath the streets of London, England, grease, food scraps, and trash collect in giant clumps that block sewers. These disgusting blobs are known as fatbergs. They form when people improperly dispose of old cooking oil and food by dumping them down sink drains. Fatbergs can clog pipes. When this happens, workers must remove them. But instead of throwing away the stinky sludge, scientists are developing a way to turn it into a sweet-smelling perfume ingredient!
Stephen Wallace is a biotechnologist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland who works with companies that remove fatbergs. They ship samples collected from fatbergs to his lab in sealed test tubes. Then Wallace’s team heats the samples to sterilize them. This kills any harmful microbes they may contain. Next, the scientists add bacteria whose DNA—the molecule that carries hereditary information—has been altered so they eat the blobs of waste. “We make [the bacteria] hungry for fats and oils present in fatbergs,” says Wallace.
The bacteria are designed to break down the fatberg and produce a chemical that smells like pine—a scent often used in perfume. The breakthrough has caught the attention of fragrance companies interested in the process.
Wallace’s work shows that even a gross fatberg can be turned into something useful. Repurposing all that waste would also reduce pollution, which would be beneficial for the planet. “The research we’re doing can have an important impact on the environment,” says Wallace. “This is what helps motivate us when things get a little yucky.”