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Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge
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Scientists isolated bacteria from wastewater treatment sludge that can biodegrade PET plastic, used in plastic bottles and food packaging. The bacteria broke down PET microplastics over a 60-day period, pointing toward a potential biological tool for removing plastic contamination from water treatment systems.
The emerging accumulation of microplastics (MPs) within global waters and the risks they pose to both humans and aquatic species are of increasing concern, yet suitable technologies to remove MPs are lacking. In this study, bacteria with potential to degrade MPs were isolated from activated sludge as promising biocatalysts for the removal of MPs in water. The bacterial communities in activated sludge were first screened for their potential to degrade thermallytreated MPs from PET. The consortium exhibited growth on a mineral medium with PET MPs as the sole carbon and energy source, indicating the presence of degrading bacteria. To further assess its biodegradability potential, the consortium was put through a CO2 evolution test where the degradation of MPs was monitored through measuring the CO2 evolved. The test was carried out in an experimental device that was engineered and constructed according to ISO 14852. The biodegradation extent was further validated through assessment of morphological and structural changes on the MPs by means of scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Upon incubation, the consortium degraded 17 % of PET MPs. Three bacterial strains within the consortium were isolated and identified as Lysinibacillus macroides RW13-2, Bacillus cereus SEHD031MH and Agromyces mediolanus PNP3. The latter two thrived individually with PET while only B. cereus showed enzymatic activity during a clear-zone test. The examined bacterial strains possess a promising PETdegrading activity that can be further investigated and applied to the elimination of MPs in water/wastewater through innovative and effective technologies
More Papers Like This
Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists isolated bacteria from wastewater treatment sludge that can biodegrade PET plastic, used in plastic bottles and food packaging. The bacteria broke down PET microplastics over a 60-day period, pointing toward a potential biological tool for removing plastic contamination from water treatment systems.
Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by bacterial communities from activated sludge
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Bacterial communities from activated sludge were shown to grow on PET microplastics as a sole carbon source and achieved measurable biodegradation of heat-pretreated PET fragments in a standardized CO₂ evolution test, identifying activated sludge as a source of PET-degrading microbes.
Enhanced degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics by an engineered Stenotrophomonas pavanii in the presence of biofilm
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Scientists engineered a biofilm-forming bacterium to break down PET microplastics (the type found in water bottles and food containers) at room temperature. The engineered bacteria achieved significant PET degradation over 30 days and also worked on other polyester plastics, offering a potential biological solution for cleaning up microplastic pollution in water environments.
In Vitro Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate using Pseudomonas species
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Scientists found bacteria in wastewater sludge—naturally occurring, not lab-engineered—that can break down PET plastic (the type used in water bottles), with one strain called *Pseudomonas stutzeri* eating away nearly a third of a plastic sample's weight over two months. This matters because PET plastic breaks down into microplastics that pollute our environment and end up in our food and water, so finding natural microbes that can safely degrade it could lead to more eco-friendly ways to manage plastic waste. Interestingly, combining bacteria didn't work better than using one strain alone, showing that plastic-eating micro
Degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics by wastewater bacteria engineered via conjugation
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Scientists engineered wastewater bacteria to break down PET plastic, one of the most common microplastic types, by transferring plastic-degrading genes through a natural DNA-sharing process. The modified bacteria could partially degrade a consumer PET product in 5 to 7 days. This proof-of-concept approach could help reduce the amount of microplastics released from wastewater treatment plants into the environment.
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