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Setting new standards: Multiphasic analysis of microplastic mineralization by fungi
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A tropical sooty mold fungus (Capnodium coffeae) not only grew better in the presence of polystyrene plastic than without it, but was shown using isotope-tracing techniques to actually break down and mineralize polystyrene carbon. However, the fungus assimilated only a small fraction of the plastic as biomass, suggesting plastic degradation is real but limited. This study provides rigorous new evidence for fungal plastic biodegradation and proposes improved experimental standards for confirming true plastic-degrading ability in microorganisms.
Plastic materials provide numerous benefits. However, properties such as durability and resistance to degradation that make plastic attractive for variable applications likewise foster their accumulation in the environment. Fragmentation of plastics leads to the formation of potentially hazardous microplastic, of which a considerable amount derives from polystyrene. Here, we investigated the biodegradation of polystyrene by the tropical sooty mold fungus Capnodium coffeae in different experimental setups. Growth of C. coffeae was stimulated significantly when cultured in presence of plastic polymers rather than in its absence. Stable isotope tracing using 13C-enriched polystyrene particles combined with cavity ring-down spectroscopy showed that the fungus mineralized polystyrene traces. However, phospholipid fatty acid stable isotope probing indicated only marginal assimilation of polystyrene-13C by C. coffeae in liquid cultures. NMR spectroscopic analysis of residual styrene contents prior to and after incubation revealed negligible changes in concentration. Thus, this study suggests a plastiphilic life style of C. coffeae despite minor usage of plastic as a carbon source and the general capability of sooty mold fungi to stimulate polystyrene mineralization, and proposes new standards to identify and unambiguously demonstrate plastic degrading capabilities of microbes.
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This study isolated bacteria and fungi from tropical soil and tested their ability to degrade polystyrene plastic as a sole carbon source, finding measurable weight reduction and chemical breakdown products after seven weeks. Identifying tropical microorganisms capable of biodegrading plastic is a step toward biological solutions for plastic waste management.
Biodegradation of Plastics by Fungi
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This review examines how fungi — including naturally occurring species found in soil and marine environments — can break down common plastic polymers including polyethylene under low-nutrient conditions. Laboratory evidence suggests some fungal species can degrade plastic pellets, reducing their mass and size, offering a potentially cheaper and more ecologically compatible alternative to industrial plastic disposal methods. Scaling up fungal biodegradation remains a challenge, but the findings suggest microbes could play a significant role in reducing environmental microplastic accumulation over time.
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Scientists found that when polystyrene microplastics (a common plastic) get "weathered" by sunlight, a wood-rotting fungus becomes much better at breaking them down—boosting degradation from about 14% to 21%. This matters because it suggests that plastics degrading in real-world sunlight may be more vulnerable to natural cleanup by fungi than lab studies have shown, offering a potential path toward reducing the microplastic pollution that's increasingly found in our food, water, and even our bodies.
Colonization and Biodegradation Potential of Fungal Communities on Immersed Polystyrene vs. Biodegradable Plastics: A Time Series Study in a Marina Environment
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This time-series study in the Brest marina, France explored fungal colonization and biodegradation potential on foamed polystyrene and biodegradable plastics over multiple immersion periods using 18S rRNA metabarcoding and culture-dependent isolation. Results revealed diverse and dynamically changing fungal communities influenced by polymer type and immersion time, with certain species showing capacity to utilize polymers as a carbon source, indicating fungal biodegradation potential for marine plastics.
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Researchers tested six fungal species for their ability to degrade high-density and low-density polyethylene in laboratory conditions, finding that all produced detectable degradation effects. Fungal biodegradation of polyethylene could help address the accumulation of this common plastic before it fragments into microplastics.
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