Comparative biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate by two white-rot fungi: Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus sajor caju

Biodeterioration of low-density polyethylene microplastics by dark septate endophytic fungi supported by mass loss and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy evidence

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This study demonstrated that dark septate endophytic fungi can biologically degrade low-density polyethylene microplastics in minimal-nutrient conditions, with mass loss and chemical changes confirmed by FTIR and scanning electron microscopy. The findings point toward a fungal bioremediation pathway for persistent plastic pollution in agricultural soils, where LDPE microplastics are increasingly accumulating.

Innovative Approaches to Enhance Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Biodegradation using Pleurotus ostreatus

Plastic Degradation and Utilization by Microbes: Challenges and Scope

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Plastic overaccumulation in ecosystems has driven interest in microbial degradation as a natural remediation tool, though the slow rate of natural depolymerization and the specificity of plastic-degrading enzymes remain major challenges. Expanding our understanding of microbial plastic utilization pathways could unlock biological strategies for reducing the microplastic precursors that fragment from larger plastic waste.

Microbial Biodegradation of Plastics and Microplastics: Recent Development

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Researchers reviewed recent advances in microbial biodegradation of plastics and microplastics, identifying key bacterial and fungal species capable of breaking down synthetic polymers and highlighting the biological mechanisms that could underpin scalable plastic waste remediation strategies.

Current Progress and Potential Microbial Cornucopia for Plastic Degradation

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This review surveys current progress in identifying and leveraging microbial diversity — including bacteria, fungi, and algae — capable of degrading various plastic polymers across environmental matrices. Microbial plastic degradation represents one of the most promising biological pathways for reducing accumulated microplastic loads in soils and waterways, with potential to lower the chronic environmental and dietary exposure burden on both wildlife and humans.