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[LegoLord]

I long ago accepted the fact that everything gives you cancer, either directly or indirectly.

But - in other news. This stuff sounds pretty stable. The poly-peptides indicate that it would be organic chemicals, not bacteria.

Yes, that is what he was saying.  Bacteria just make it, was what he said.  Not that it was made of bacteria.

[Tack]

Really, I'd think that it might actually just be the oxidisation of a carbon chain that would make it, like most other plastic products are made. That's basically what they are, liquid plastic that bonds when in contact with blood, or other salt substances.

[zchris13]

But it's an organic molecule.  So not a plastic.  You can't do that type of stuff with plastic because your body doesn't break it down very well.

[Tack]

Dude, plastic is an- oh nevermind.

And there is biodegradable plastic.

[zchris13]

Plastic is a long chain of carbons, dude.

Oh, wiki says only some are.  D'oh.

But still. The point is valid. No bacteria would bother making a plastic, yet most or all make peptides. I think. Duh, it's the basic link in protein chain.

[Tack]

But it's an organic molecule.  So not a plastic.

Zchris.... Please, for the love of Steve... Look up "Organic chemistry" in wikipedia before you drown me in your ignorance.

Blagging+internet=Lynching.

[zchris13]

But it's an organic molecule.  So not a plastic.

Zchris.... Please, for the love of Steve... Look up "Organic chemistry" in wikipedia before you drown me in your ignorance.

Take my 99 in High school honors chemistry and shove it tack. 

Confucius say forgetfulness make not a fool.

[Tack]

Ok. I could believe you. Then I could go on with some bullshit about a bachelor of chemical engineering, and we could have the huge debate going on and on. However, in the interests of preserving this thread, and the innocent sanctity of this forum:

Just because you are smarter, does not mean you are right. True - forgetfulness make not a fool. So. Look it up, see that you were wrong, admit that you were wrong, and make a joke about how long it's been since you last did chemistry, so that I can reply with a fake laughing noise.

[umiman]

You guys, calm down...

[LegoLord]

Plastics are only organic in the sense that they have carbon.  Once, a long time ago, they might have been part of what laymen consider organic (part of an organism), but they are no longer.  Normally plastics aren't made from materials produced by bacteria.  Generally we derive them from petroleum and plants, if I'm not mistaken (looking at wiki).

[zchris13]

Petroleum comes from dead protists and other decayed ancient plant matter.  It's just been changed beyond all recognition by heat and pressure.

And it was last year tack.

And I never said I was smarter.  I'm not some sort of arrogant prick who is going to go flaunting his intelligence over everybody (although I do consider it, from time to time).

What am I wrong about, specifically?  It is not clear to me.

Chemical engineering sounds like a good major, actually.  Although I'm nowhere near ready to decide.

[Neruz]

Plastics are only organic in the sense that they have carbon.  Once, a long time ago, they might have been part of what laymen consider organic (part of an organism), but they are no longer.  Normally plastics aren't made from materials produced by bacteria.  Generally we derive them from petroleum and plants, if I'm not mistaken (looking at wiki).

Considering Petrolium is derived from Oil, and Oil is dead trees, i'd say it's just as organic as anything else.

Sure it doesn't look organic, but it probably technically reaches that definition.



There are certainly organic and biodegradible plastics though, and you can modify bacteria to spit out plastic and plastic-like carbon chains, amongst other things.

You'd be amazed what you can get bacteria to make; they're little microscopic factories with the right modifications.

[Tack]

Um... Hohoho?


Nevermind. It's all gotten too complicated anyway.

[Neruz]

Organic matter (or organic material) is matter that has come from a once-living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds. The definition of organic matter varies upon the subject it is being used for.

Under that definition i think Petrol\Plastic would indeed be considered organic, being derived from a once-living organism and capable of decay.

[Tack]

Organic chemistry is a discipline within chemistry which involves the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation (by synthesis or by other means) of chemical compounds that contain carbon. These compounds may contain any number of other elements, including hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, the halogens as well as phosphorus, silicon and sulfur.[1][2][3]

Because of their unique properties, multi-carbon compounds exhibit extremely large variety and the range of application of organic compounds is enormous. They form the basis of, or are important constituents of many products (paints, plastics, food, explosives, drugs, petrochemicals, to name but a few) and (apart from a very few exceptions) they form the basis of all earthly life processes.

Ok. We are all up to speed. We all get it. Organic chemicals are anything that is made of a carbon backbone. The layman organic means things that are alive or dead - without being chemically changed. But this is not layman - obviously.
Can we re-rail this topic a bit?