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Biodegradation of Polyvinyl Chloride by Acinetobacter sp. Isolated from Soil
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Researchers isolated a soil bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, that broke down PVC plastic in lab tests over 60 days. An enzyme from the bacteria caused chemical changes and cracks on PVC surfaces and reduced the plastic's molecular weight measurements, producing a new breakdown compound.
The excessive use of plastics has seriously damaged the environment. Biodegradation of plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC), by microorganisms has become a promising strategy for the remediation of environmental pollution. Plastic-contaminated soil is an important source for isolating microorganisms with plastic-degrading ability. In this study, a PVC-degrading strain, designated PVC-3-16, was isolated from farmland soil and identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. After 60 days of incubation, a new characteristic functional group was detected on the surface of PVC powder by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A putative catalase-peroxidase enzyme derived from the genome of PVC-3-16 was successfully expressed and purified. After treatment with the catalase-peroxidase, hydroxyl groups and cracks were detected on the surface of PVC films by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The Mn, Mw, and Mz values of the PVC films decreased by 10.7%, 9.4%, and 5.7%, respectively, after treatment. The degradation product catalyzed by the catalase-peroxidase was identified as C21H44O. These findings indicate that PVC-3-16 is a promising strain that can be used for PVC biodegradation.
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Degradation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics employing the actinobacterial strain Streptomyces gobitricini
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Researchers isolated a soil bacterium called Streptomyces gobitricini and tested its ability to break down PVC microplastics over 90 days. The bacterium achieved up to 66 percent weight reduction of the PVC particles and formed biofilms on the plastic surfaces. The study suggests that naturally occurring soil bacteria could potentially be harnessed for bioremediation of one of the most persistent and hazardous types of plastic waste.
Biodegradation of polyvinyl chloride by Mucor s.p. and Penicillium s.p. isolated from soil
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Researchers isolated soil fungi capable of degrading PVC plastic without added plasticizers, an important step toward biological methods for breaking down one of the most difficult-to-recycle plastics. Fungal biodegradation could offer a way to reduce the environmental accumulation of PVC and its microplastic fragments.
Microbial Community and Enzymes for Biodeterioration of PVC Plastic Buried in Soil and Compost Environment
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Scientists found that natural bacteria living in soil and compost can break down PVC plastic (the kind used in pipes and packaging), losing up to 13% of its weight in just 90 days when buried in warm soil. This matters because PVC pollution is a major environmental problem, and these findings suggest that harnessing everyday soil microbes—rather than relying on lab-grown specialty bacteria—could offer a practical, low-cost way to help break down plastic waste before it fragments into microplastics that can end up in our food, water, and bodies.
A novel bacterial consortium isolated from long-term plastic-contaminated soil exhibits efficient biodegradation of polyvinyl chloride microplastics
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Researchers isolated two novel bacterial strains — Stutzerimonas sp. NH2 and Glutamicibacter nicotinae NH27 — from plastic-contaminated soil and found that their combined consortium degraded PVC microplastics by nearly 27% in weight, with SEM, FTIR, and GC-MS analyses confirming structural breakdown and detection of degradation byproducts.
Characterization and GC–MS-Based Identification of Possible PVC Degradation Pathways of Bacteria for Sustainable Microplastic Bioremediation
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Scientists found five types of bacteria that can break down PVC plastic, a common but hard to recycle material found in pipes, packaging and medical products. In lab tests, these bacteria ate away 20 to 50% of the plastic over a month, offering a possible eco-friendly way to clean up plastic pollution that can otherwise linger in our environment and bodies for decades.
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