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Role of Various Microbes and Their Enzymatic Mechanisms for Biodegradation of Microplastics
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This review examines the microbial enzymes and degradation mechanisms responsible for biodegrading microplastic polymers, covering bacterial, fungal, and algal systems that have evolved plastic-degrading capabilities over the past 150 years of plastic production. The authors survey the most promising enzymatic pathways and organisms for biotechnological application in microplastic remediation.
Throughout the past 150 years, numerous plastic polymers with unique qualities have been developed to substitute materials like wood, glass, and metal in a variety of applications. However, the unique qualities that make plastic suitable for daily usage also endanger the sustainability of our planet. As plastics are resilient, non-reactive, and non-biodegradable, the amount of plastic waste generated has increased exponentially. The current techniques of plastic waste degradation are highly expensive and unsustainable in nature. Consequently, the potential of biological systems to break down synthetic plastics has received increased attention recently. This chapter summarizes the microplastic formation route; harmful effects of microplastics on human, soil, and plant health; factors affecting microbial degradation of microplastics; mechanisms of microbe-mediated microplastic degradation; and current knowledge on how actinomycetes, algae, bacteria, fungi, and their enzymes contribute to the breakdown of synthetic plastics.
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Microbial Degradation of Micro‐Plastics
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This review examines the role of naturally occurring microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and algae in degrading microplastics, discussing the enzymatic mechanisms involved, the species identified as effective plastic degraders, and the prospects for applying microbial degradation pathways in bioremediation strategies.
Harnessing Microorganisms for Microplastic Degradation: A Sustainable Approach to Mitigating Environmental Pollution
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This review surveys microorganisms—bacteria, fungi, and other taxa—capable of degrading microplastics, examining the enzymes, metabolic pathways, and environmental conditions involved, and assessing the practical potential of harnessing these organisms for bioremediation of plastic pollution.
Microbe‐mediated biodegradation of microplastics from wastes
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Researchers examined microbe-mediated biodegradation of microplastics from waste, reviewing bacterial and fungal species capable of breaking down various plastic polymers and discussing enzymatic mechanisms that could be harnessed for bioremediation strategies.
Microbial Bioremediation of Microplastics
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This review examines microbial bioremediation of microplastics, covering the bacteria, fungi, and algae known to degrade different plastic polymers and the enzymes involved. Biological degradation of microplastics offers a potentially scalable approach to reducing plastic contamination in soil and aquatic environments.
Microbial Biodegradation of Plastics and Microplastics: Enzymatic Mechanisms, Biotechnological Applications, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives
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This review examined the enzymatic mechanisms by which microorganisms degrade plastics and microplastics, covering biotechnological applications and ecotoxicological perspectives. Researchers found that certain bacterial and fungal enzymes can break down persistent plastic polymers, positioning microbial biodegradation as a promising sustainable remediation approach, though scalability and environmental deployment remain challenges.
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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.