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Mechanistic understanding of synergistic bacterial consortium-mediated biodegradation of nylon-6,6 microplastics for sustainable environmental remediation
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A consortium of three bacteria degraded 32.6% of nylon-6,6 microplastic weight within 65 days, breaking the tough synthetic polymer down into smaller hydrocarbons and fatty acids through a measurable biochemical pathway. Biological degradation of persistent microplastics is a promising remediation strategy, and identifying the specific breakdown products helps assess whether the process is truly safe for the environment.
The growing presence of microplastics (MP), particularly nylon-6,6 microplastic (NMP), in diverse ecosystems has raised significant environmental and health concerns because of their small size and resistance to degradation. These pollutants significantly harm humans as well as the environment. At present, this work explores the use of a novel microbial consortium on NMP degradation. The consortium comprises Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Brevibacillus brevis, and Acinetobacter baumannii. In the 65 d framework, NMP lost 32.62% ± 0.025 of its weight, demonstrating the increased degradation efficiency. A biphasic growth pattern was observed, indicating a metabolic shift from utilizing glucose to NMP degradation. The study provides the structural, morphological, and chemical breakdown of NMP using extensive analytical techniques like HPLC, TGA, XRD, FTIR, GC–MS, and FE-SEM. The identification of different degraded by-products indicates that NMP broke down into smaller hydrocarbons, fatty acids, esters, and aromatic compounds. Using GC–MS, benzene-1,3-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl) identified as a primary byproduct of NMP degradation. It is a potential value-added product with diverse industrial applications. Ultimately, this work not only proposes the hypothetical biochemical pathway underlying NMP degradation but also emphasizes the novel potential of the consortium in lowering MP pollution. This work offers the groundwork for future developments in environmental remediation technologies.
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