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Microbial enzyme biotechnology to reach plastic waste circularity
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Review of microbial enzymes as biotechnological tools for plastic waste biodegradation and circularity
The accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in the environment has become a global concern. Microbial enzymes (purified or as whole-cell biocatalysts) represent emerging biotechnological tools for waste circularity
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This review evaluates the potential of microbial enzymes and whole-cell biocatalysts for plastic waste recycling, finding that while enzymatic tools are effective for PET, the most prevalent unrecycled plastics—polyurethanes and polyolefins—remain resistant to current enzyme-based degradation approaches.
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This mini review explores the potential of microbial enzymes as a sustainable solution for degrading microplastics, discussing recent advances in identifying plastic-degrading enzymes and the challenges remaining for practical bioremediation applications.
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This review examines biotechnological approaches to plastic degradation, highlighting enzymes such as PETase, MHETase, laccases, and lipases as promising tools for breaking down recalcitrant synthetic polymers. The authors identify key challenges including degradation efficiency, economic scale-up, and regulatory barriers to using genetically modified organisms in industrial applications.
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Researchers investigated the characterisation and optimisation of enzymatic biocatalysts capable of degrading synthetic plastics, addressing the limitations of conventional mechanical recycling that has proven largely ineffective at curbing plastic and microplastic accumulation in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The work explores how enzyme engineering and directed evolution can improve the efficiency of biological plastic breakdown as a pathway toward circular plastic recycling.
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