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Bioremediation of Plastics and Polythene in Marine Water
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This review examines bioremediation strategies for plastics and polyethylene in marine environments, noting the rapid growth in plastic production and the challenges posed by plastic's chemical resistance to natural weathering. It surveys microbial and enzymatic degradation approaches as potential solutions.
After oil spills, the most dreadful and hazardous pollutant which is ending up in the marine ecosystem as a result of anthropogenic activities is plastic. The global production of plastic has jumped from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to around 389 million tonnes in 2019. The poorly managed waste is at more risk of leaking into the environment, which results in significant (3%) leakage of total plastic waste into the marine ecosystem via various outlets where coastal areas contribute a bigger chunk. The chemical nature of plastic makes it highly resistant to the natural process of weathering and degradation. This makes plastic and its constituents remain longer in the environment. It is broken down physically to microplastics, which is more harmful as it is becoming an integral part of the food chain and potable drinking water. Bioremediation of plastic has been found to be a reliable, sustainable, and efficient conversion of this hazardous pollutant. New-age biotechnological techniques have proved to pace up the biodegradation of plastics, which proves beneficial for the environment. This chapter focuses mainly on the bioremediation strategies that can be used to clean the marine system free of plastic pollution.
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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.