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Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) degrading soil bacteria: an overview
Summary
This overview reviewed the role of plastics in modern society, their environmental impacts, conventional management approaches, and the use of PET-degrading bacteria including Ideonella sakaiensis and Thermobifida fusca as sustainable alternative approaches to plastic waste management. The paper highlighted that despite centuries required for complete plastic degradation by conventional means, bacterial PET degradation offers a promising pathway, though challenges remain in scaling biological solutions to match the scope of global PET pollution.
Despite their important role in food safety, medical safety, and other industries, plastic pollution remains one of the world’s leading environmental issues. One particular plastic is Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which has a relatively poor biodegradability. There are various traditional ways of managing plastic waste, but it takes years for plastic debris to degrade completely. Numerous conventional approaches have been proposed, but some pose environmental risks, prompting researchers to explore additional options. Using bacteria (e.g., Ideonella sakaiensis and Thermobifida fusca) to degrade plastics has been considered an alternative, sustainable approach to plastic waste management. In this paper, we briefly provide an overview of the role of plastics, their impact on the environment, their management, and the prospect for PET-degrading bacteria as one of the sustainable approaches in plastic, specifically PET, management.