Soil Microplastic Remediation: Exploring the Role of Microorganism/PGPR in Sustainable Cleanup

Microplastic pollution has emerged as a global environmental concern, with widespread contamination of soils posing risks health and functioning of ecosystem. In response, bioremediation has emerged as a promising technique for the clean-up of microplastics from soil.The decision to employ bioremediation is because of its potential to affectively reduce the environmental impact of microplastics in soil. Bioremediation utilizes microorganisms and their enzymatic capabilities to degrade and remove microplastics. Various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, have been found to produce enzymes capable of breaking down plastic polymers, leading to their eventual degradation and mineralization.Bioremediation techniques such as bioaugmentation, composting, plant-microbe interactions, and biostimulation have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing the degradation of microplastics in soil. Bioaugmentation involves introducing specific microorganisms with plastic-degrading abilities to contaminated soil, while composting creates conditions that promote the breakdown of microplastics through elevated temperatures and increased microbial activity. Plant-microbe interactions leverage the symbiotic relationship between certain plants and microorganisms in the rhizosphere to enhance microplastic degradation, and biostimulation involves providing nutrients and amendments to the soil to stimulate microbial activity and plastic degradation.The decision to utilize bioremediation for microplastic clean-up from soil is based on its potential effectiveness and sustainability.