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Biodegradation of Plastic Wastes in Soil: A Review on Testing and Evaluation Procedures
Summary
This review critically examines the methods used to evaluate plastic biodegradation in soil environments, comparing standardized laboratory tests with field-based approaches. The authors identify significant inconsistencies across testing protocols that make it difficult to compare results or validate biodegradability claims for commercial plastics. Standardizing methodology is identified as a key priority for accurately assessing the environmental fate of biodegradable plastics.
The recalcitrant behaviour of plastic creates an acute pollution on soil and aquatic biota. The plastic polymer synthesised from petroleum takes several hundred years to degrade. During excavation activities on the lands within or at the outskirts of urban limits, single use plastic wrappers and bags that were buried long ago, can be found in large quantities. Researchers have already identified the potentiality of microorganisms to biodegrade the plastic polymers. These microorganisms utilise plastic as a sole source of carbon and mineralise them into carbon dioxide under optimum environmental conditions. This paper provides a brief review on the biodegradation studies carried out by various researchers, spectra of microorganisms identified with the potential to degrade various polymeric substances, methods of testing and evaluations in order to quantify the effectiveness of degradation, their shortfalls and risks involved in implementing bioremediation technique in the field. A review on other related aspects that are deemed to be relevant to this topic are also discussed.