Partial biodegradation and mineralization of polystyrene by a plastisphere-associated microbial consortium

Plastisphere: Marine Microbial Assemblages for Biodegradation of Microplastics

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Researchers reviewing the plastisphere — microbial communities colonizing marine plastic debris — found that these assemblages harbor plastic-degrading microorganisms and examined their potential role in biodegrading microplastics, while also noting risks of pathogen dispersal on plastic surfaces.

Temporal dynamics of bacterial and fungal colonization on polystyrene microplastics in floodplain soils

Polystyrene microplastics: environmental presence, pathways, and biological impact

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Researchers reviewed the environmental presence, transport pathways, and biological impacts of polystyrene microplastics, documenting how widespread food packaging use leads to pervasive contamination of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and raises concerns for organismal and human health.

Current Progress and Potential Microbial Cornucopia for Plastic Degradation

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This review surveys current progress in identifying and leveraging microbial diversity — including bacteria, fungi, and algae — capable of degrading various plastic polymers across environmental matrices. Microbial plastic degradation represents one of the most promising biological pathways for reducing accumulated microplastic loads in soils and waterways, with potential to lower the chronic environmental and dietary exposure burden on both wildlife and humans.

Microbial Colonization and Degradation of Microplastics

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This review examined microbial colonization of plastic surfaces—the plastisphere—and assessed the potential of specialized microorganisms to biodegrade plastic polymers as a remediation strategy. Understanding the plastisphere is also critical because biofilm-forming microbes can alter microplastic surface chemistry and influence how particles interact with living organisms that ingest them.