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Microplastics in coastal sediments of Pakistan: Site-specific patterns and biodegradation by native bacterial isolates
Summary
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination along Pakistan's 850-kilometer coastline and identified seven native bacterial species capable of breaking down common plastics like PET, PVC, and polyethylene — with Pseudomonas azotoformans degrading nearly 38% of polyethylene by weight — pointing toward local microbial solutions for plastic pollution in under-studied regions.
The widespread use of materials harmful to the biosphere has escalated environmental challenges, with microplastics emerging as a critical issue.While global research has advanced in this area, data from regions like Pakistan remain scarce.This study somehow addresses this gap by examining the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics and exploring the degradation potential of bacterial species isolated from Pakistan's coastal areas.Beach sediment samples were collected from various locations along the 850 km coastline.Microplastics were separated using densityseparation method and visually inspected under a microscope for enumeration and physical characteristics.Additionally, site characteristics were also analyzed in relation to microplastic abundance.For studying microbial degradation, microorganisms from sediment samples were isolated via serial dilution, identified through rRNA gene analysis and cultured on 3 different polymers viz.Poly vinyl chloride (PVC), poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE).Polymer weight loss was measured to assess degradation efficiency by various microbial species.The results showed that all sites were infested with microplastics, having different colors and shapes.However, locations showed natural variation in abundance of microplastics based on territory, site characteristics, population, industry and tourism etc.It was observed that urban areas of Karachi showed maximum abundance of microplastics, whereas western part of coastal line in Baluchistan province was less infested.Clifton (760 particles/kg,) and Manora (607 particles/ kg) areas of Karachi city were found most abundant in microplastics.Kund Malir (107 particles/kg) and Jiwani (167 particles/kg) in Baluchistan province were found to be least abundant in microplastics.Black and transparent were the most prevalent colors with a mean percentage of 23% and 22% respectively.Fibers and fragments were most prevalent shapes with a mean percentage of 47% and 23% respectively.7 bacterial species from 5 genera were identified as plastic degraders.Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the highest degradation potential for PET, recording mean percentage weight loss of 30.06%.Bacillus flexus demonstrated the highest average PVC degradation potential (27.53%), whereas Pseudomonas azotoformans exhibited the highest average potential for PE degradation at 37.97%.This study sets the foundation for further research in addressing this pressing environmental issue.