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Local Plastic-Eating Bacteria: The Key to Bioremediation in Indonesian Coastal Waters
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Scientists found bacteria living in Indonesian coastal waters that can naturally break down common plastics (the kind used in bottles and grocery bags), with a mix of three bacterial strains breaking down up to 16% of the plastic in lab tests over three months. This matters because plastic pollution in oceans eventually breaks into microplastics that end up in seafood and drinking water, and finding natural, low-cost ways to clean up plastic before it fragments could help reduce that contamination, though more testing is needed before this could actually be used in the ocean.
Marine plastic pollution is a critical environmental problem in Indonesian coastal waters, where inadequate waste management and high population density contribute substantially to plastic leakage into the marine environment. Indigenous plastic-degrading bacteria offer a potentially low-cost bioremediation strategy, yet locally isolated strains remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to isolate, screen, and molecularly identify indigenous bacteria capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) from seawater, sediment, and plastic-debris samples collected at three stations in Bungus Bay, Padang City, West Sumatra. From 42 morphologically distinct colonies, five isolates with the largest clear zones were selected and identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing as strains related to Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rhodococcus ruber, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Bacillus subtilis. Quantitative degradation assays conducted in triplicate over 90 days showed that a three-isolate consortium achieved the highest weight loss of PET (16.3%) and LDPE (11.2%), significantly exceeding single-isolate treatments and abiotic controls (ANOVA, Duncan’s test, p < 0.05). FTIR analysis confirmed polymer oxidation, with carbonyl indices increasing from 0.18 to 0.34 for PET and from 0.05 to 0.21 for LDPE. These findings demonstrate considerable biodegradation potential under laboratory conditions, although field validation is required before in-situ application for marine bioremediation purposes.
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Isolation and Identification of Indigenous Plastic-Degrading Bacteria from Dumai’s Ocean Water of Riau Province
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Researchers isolated and identified plastic-degrading bacteria from the coastal waters of Dumai, Indonesia, finding indigenous microbial populations capable of breaking down plastic polymers. Local plastic-degrading bacteria represent a potentially sustainable biological tool for addressing microplastic contamination in affected environments.
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Scientists discovered bacteria living on ocean sponges near Karimunjawa Island that can actually break down plastic—a promising natural tool for tackling the plastic pollution flooding our oceans. This matters because plastic waste breaks into tiny microplastics that end up in seafood and drinking water, so finding bacteria that degrade plastic in the environment could eventually help reduce our exposure to these particles. The researchers also found that the specific growth conditions used for the bacteria made a big difference, boosting plastic breakdown from just 20% to 80% effectiveness—showing there's real room to improve this approach with further
Isolation and Characterization of Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate-degrading Bacteria from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia
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Researchers isolated bacteria from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, that showed the ability to degrade polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in laboratory conditions. They identified the most effective bacterial strains and confirmed plastic degradation through weight loss measurements and surface analysis. The study supports the potential of using naturally occurring marine bacteria for bioremediation of plastic-polluted coastal environments.
Exploration of Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Marina Beach, Semarang, Central Java
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Indonesian researchers isolated bacteria from Marina Beach in Semarang that could degrade plastic, testing their ability to break down polyethylene and polypropylene. The bacteria showed measurable plastic-degrading activity under lab conditions. Identifying locally occurring plastic-degrading microbes supports the development of bioremediation strategies for plastic pollution in Indonesian marine environments.
Potentials and Challenges of Existing Plastic Pollutant Biodegradation Using Bacteria in Jakarta Bay
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Researchers assessed plastic-degrading bacteria from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, building on prior research identifying this bay as having extremely high plastic debris concentrations. The study evaluated the potential and limitations of using indigenous bacteria for bioremediation of plastic pollution in the bay.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.