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Current Progress and Mechanisms of Microplastic Degradation in the Environment
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Plastic waste keeps breaking down into tiny particles called microplastics, which end up in our food, water, and air—and can even carry harmful chemicals and heavy metals along with them into our bodies. This review rounds up the science on different ways to break down microplastics faster (using sunlight, chemicals, or even bacteria and enzymes), pointing toward possible solutions for cleaning up this pollution before it accumulates further in the environment and, potentially, in us. While the technologies are still developing, understanding how to destroy microplastics matters for reducing our long-term exposure to them.
Plastics, which are beneficial to modern society, have become among the most hazardous pollutants due to excessive use and mismanagement, and their accumulation is causing enormous challenges to ecosystems worldwide. Globally, in 2025, more than 70 million tonnes of plastic waste will enter landfills and oceans, where it slowly degrades and is converted into more hazardous microplastics (MPs) or nanoplastics (NPs). MPs are widely present in the food chain, soil, water, and air and are difficult to degrade in the environment. As these particles can absorb heavy metals and other organic pollutants, they become more hazardous. This review critically examines the mechanisms of various degradation methods, such as chemical degradation, photodegradation, advanced oxidation process, and microbial/enzymatic degradation. These findings will support the formulation/implementation of effective policies and technologies to reduce microplastic contamination, a major environmental threat of the 21st century.
More Papers Like This
Current Progress and Mechanisms of Microplastic Degradation in the Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together current research on how tiny plastic bits called microplastics—which are now found in our food, water, air, and soil—can be broken down before they build up further in the environment. These plastic fragments can soak up heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, making them even more dangerous as they move through the food chain and potentially into our bodies. Understanding how to break them down more effectively could help scientists and policymakers develop better strategies to cut down on this pollution and reduce our exposure to it.
Mechanisms of Biological Degradation of Microplastics in the Environment
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This review paper rounds up what scientists currently know about using bacteria and other microbes to break down microplastics in the environment, including how special microbial enzymes attack different plastic types. While this research focuses on cleaning up plastic pollution rather than direct health effects, it matters to us because microplastics have been found in our food, water, and even our bodies—so finding better ways to break them down in nature could ultimately reduce our long-term exposure to them.
Comprehensive approaches in the biodegradation of microplastics: a review of mechanisms, applications, and challenges
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Microplastics, tiny plastic bits that show up in our water, food, and even our bodies, are notoriously hard to get rid of. This review rounds up current science on using bacteria and enzymes to break down these plastics into harmless byproducts, a greener alternative to traditional cleanup methods. While the approach shows real promise, the researchers note it's not yet ready for large-scale use, meaning cutting down your own plastic exposure is still your best bet for now.
Systematic Review of Degradation Processes for Microplastics: Progress and Prospects
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This systematic review summarizes existing research on different methods for breaking down microplastics, including photodegradation, chemical oxidation, and biological approaches. The study evaluates how effective each technique is at destroying microplastics and discusses which methods show the most promise for real-world application. Finding effective ways to degrade microplastics is critical because these particles persist in the environment for hundreds of years and continue to enter our food and water.
On the degradation of (micro)plastics: Degradation methods, influencing factors, environmental impacts
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This review provides a comprehensive overview of methods for degrading microplastics, including photodegradation, thermal degradation, and biodegradation, along with the factors that influence each process. Researchers found that while several degradation approaches show promise in laboratory settings, no mature and effective method is yet available for large-scale engineering applications or natural environments. The study also discusses how degradation products of microplastics can themselves pose environmental risks.
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