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Biotechnological Potential for Microplastic Waste
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This article reviews how biotechnology — including engineered microbes and enzymes — can be used to break down microplastic waste. As conventional plastic recycling falls short, biological approaches offer a promising complement to reduce the accumulation of microplastics in the environment.
Plastic has become a critical material in the modern world due to its low cost and easy production. However, inadequate management and open disposal make plastic a major obstacle to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This article emphasizes the role of biotechnology in addressing the issue of microplastic waste.
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This review article discusses the problem of plastic waste accumulating in the environment, including the formation of microplastics, and explores the potential of engineered enzymes to break down synthetic polymers as a biological solution to plastic pollution.
Biological Upcycling of Plastics Waste
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This review summarizes research on using biological systems -- including enzymes, bacteria, and engineered microbes -- to break down plastic waste into useful chemicals and materials. Rather than traditional recycling that produces lower-quality plastic each time, biological approaches can convert waste plastics into valuable products like biodegradable plastics, fuels, and specialty chemicals, potentially reducing the flow of plastics into the environment where they break into harmful microplastics.
Genetic engineering approach to address microplastic environmental pollution: a review
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This review explores how genetic engineering approaches could enhance the ability of microorganisms to biodegrade microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment. Researchers highlight that while wild-type microbes struggle to break down plastics due to their high molecular weight and crystallinity, engineered enzymes and organisms show potential for more effective plastic pollution remediation.
Biotechnology for the mitigation of plastic waste from the oceans
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This review examines biotechnological approaches for breaking down and removing plastic waste from marine environments, including enzymatic degradation, microbial biodegradation, and genetically engineered organisms. Researchers find that while promising, these biological solutions are still far from being deployable at the scale needed to address ocean plastic pollution.
Microbial biotechnology addressing the plastic waste disaster
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This review covers how microbial biotechnology can help address plastic pollution, from engineering microorganisms to degrade plastics to developing biodegradable alternatives. Biological approaches to plastic management could help reduce the global accumulation of microplastics.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.