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Biodegradation of PET Microplastics by Bacteria
Original title: Biodegradación de microplásticos de PET con bacterias
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This Spanish-language study tested the ability of common bacterial strains (E. coli, C. freundii, P. vulgaris, E. aerogenes) to biodegrade PET microplastics, achieving biodegradation rates of 87-95% in minimal mineral medium, demonstrating that microbial consortia can efficiently break down plastic contaminants. These findings are directly relevant to microplastic pollution research, offering a bioremediation pathway for one of the most prevalent plastic polymers found in aquatic and terrestrial environments.
La contaminación por microplásticos, especialmente de PET, representa un desafío ambiental creciente debido a su persistencia y capacidad para transportar contaminantes tóxicos. Su presencia en ecosistemas acuáticos y terrestres afecta a diversas especies, desde organismos pequeños hasta grandes mamíferos, causando daños físicos, bioacumulación de sustancias químicas peligrosas, y alteraciones en los procesos ecológicos fundamentales. En este trabajo, se evaluó la capacidad de diferentes bacterias como E. coli, C. freundii, P. vulgaris y E. aerogenes para biodegradar microplásticos de PET en condiciones controladas. Los resultados mostraron que las cepas cultivadas en caldo Luria-Bertani (LB) alcanzaron porcentajes de biodegradación promedio superiores al 70 %, con valores entre 59.10 % y 81.80 %, mientras que en el medio mínimo mineral (MMM) superaron el 90 %, con un rango de 87.20 % a 94.70 %, evidenciando una mayor eficiencia en este último. Estos hallazgos indican que ciertos microorganismos, tanto aislados como en consorcio, poseen un alto potencial para biodegradar plásticos. La utilización de microorganismos en modelos de biorremediación ofrece una estrategia ecológica y eficiente para disminuir la presencia de microplásticos, contribuyendo a la protección ambiental y a la salud pública mediante estrategias biotecnológicas sostenibles.
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