Turning microplastic waste into value: Peroxymonosulfate activation by PET-derived C@Co3O4 catalyst for efficient and eco-safe degradation of carbamazepine

Advancing plastic waste remediation: microbial enzyme-based degradation of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) for environmental sustainability

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Plastic waste breaks down into tiny particles called micro- and nanoplastics, which are now showing up in our water, food, and even our bodies, raising growing concerns about long-term health effects. This review pulls together research on using bacteria and their enzymes to break down these plastic particles into harmless substances, a cleaner, lower-energy alternative to current waste management methods. While early lab results are promising, scientists still need to solve major challenges before this approach can be used on a large scale, meaning practical solutions to reduce plastic pollution (and our exposure to it) are still likely years away.

Metabolic Cascade for Remediation of Plastic Waste: a Case Study on Microplastic Degradation

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This review summarizes microbial enzymatic pathways, multi-omics approaches, and protein engineering strategies for biodegrading microplastics, noting that microorganisms have evolved depolymerases and lipases capable of attacking various plastic polymers. Bio-based degradation methods represent a critical frontier for microplastic remediation, with engineered enzymes and metagenomics offering tools to accelerate what is naturally an extremely slow breakdown process.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Remediation of Microplastic for Environment Sustainability

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Researchers reviewed the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as high-surface-area adsorbents for microplastic remediation, finding their tunable pore structures and functional groups enable selective capture of plastic particles from aquatic environments, offering a promising materials science approach to pollution control.

Nanotechnology-Enhanced Photocatalysis for Microplastic Degradation: A Sustainable Approach

Nanotechnology for Plastic Degradation

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Researchers reviewed nanotechnology-based approaches for degrading plastics in the environment, examining how nanomaterials and nano-catalysts can accelerate the breakdown of persistent polymer waste. Deploying nanotechnology for plastic degradation could help address the millions of tonnes entering oceans annually and reduce the ongoing fragmentation of macroplastics into health-hazardous micro- and nanoplastic particles.