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Enzymatic Degradation of Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate: A Mini Review
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This review examines enzymatic degradation of polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate plastics, surveying how enzymes produced by bacteria, fungi, and algae depolymerize these polymers on plastic surfaces under suitable conditions. The authors highlight enzymatic biodegradation as a promising low-energy, environmentally friendly alternative for plastic waste management compared to mechanical and chemical recycling approaches.
Polyethylene (PE) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) are the most widely used plastics for many purposes, including packaging, textiles, medicine, engineering, the electronic industry, etc. Among existing approaches to manage and recycle plastic waste, the enzymatic method is promising due to its quality in the environment, low energy consumption, lack of hazardous chemical elements, and expansive machinery. Several enzymes produced by a group of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and algae, play a significant role in this method. These enzymes can depolymerize plastic’s polymer when they are released by the microbes on the plastic surface under suitable conditions. This study was conducted by surveying the published articles on PubMed and Elsevier. We searched the TS (topic search) in the webs and applied some criteria and filters, such as text availability (“The free full text”) and publication date (“5 years”). Based on the TS “PE”, “PET” and “enzymatic degradation”, the articles were selected. Among hundreds of articles, we chose only 26 to review. Several enzymes (e.g., cutinase, lipase, laccase, PETase, and esterase) that can degrade PE and PET have been reported in the literature, and they are isolated from microorganisms that are categorized into fungi, bacteria, and algae.
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Biodegradation of Plastic and the Role of Microbial Enzymes in Plastic Waste Management
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This review examines how microbial enzymes, particularly PET hydrolases and oxidative enzymes, can depolymerize and break down common plastic polymers through biological degradation. The study suggests that enzymatic approaches to plastic waste management offer a promising complement to mechanical and chemical recycling, though optimizing enzyme activity and scaling up the process remain key challenges.
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.
Analysis of the application of microorganisms for the degradation of plastics
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This review examines the use of microorganisms to degrade plastic waste, covering the types of bacteria and fungi known to break down common polymers such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET. It discusses the enzymatic mechanisms involved and the potential for scaling up microbial plastic degradation as a waste management strategy.
Microbes in Plastic Degradation
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This review examines how microorganisms can break down common plastics like polyethylene and PET through enzymatic processes. Researchers summarized the key bacterial and fungal species capable of degrading plastics and the conditions that affect degradation rates. The study highlights that while microbial plastic degradation is promising, natural breakdown is slow and more research is needed to make biological solutions practical at scale.
Plastic Biodegradation: Potential of Microbial Enzymes
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This review examines microbial enzymes that have demonstrated the ability to break down synthetic plastics, a process that could offer a biological route to plastic waste remediation. The paper surveys the range of enzyme types, the plastic substrates they target, and the mechanisms by which they degrade polymer chains. Understanding these enzymatic pathways is a critical step toward engineering scalable biocatalytic solutions for plastic biodegradation.
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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.