Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge

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.

2021
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge

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.

2021 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: A New Frontier in Environmental Bioremediation

This review examines microbial degradation of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, covering bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes capable of colonizing plastic surfaces, forming biofilms, and secreting enzymes to degrade polymers including polyethylene and PET.

2025 International Journal of Integrative Studies (IJIS)
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Biodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene Films by Candida tropicalis SLNEA04 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa SLNEA05

Researchers assessed whether Candida tropicalis yeast could biodegrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic films under laboratory conditions, measuring weight loss, surface changes, and chemical degradation markers. Limited but measurable biodegradation occurred, suggesting potential for yeast-based plastic remediation.

2024 Diversity 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Acceleration a yeast-based biodegradation process of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by Tween 20: Efficiency, by-product analysis, and metabolic pathway Prediction

Researchers isolated a new yeast strain capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and found that adding the surfactant Tween 20 significantly accelerated the biodegradation process. The yeast changed the microplastic surface charge and reduced particle size, with Tween 20 enhancing the breakdown efficiency. The study suggests that surfactant-assisted biological approaches may offer a promising avenue for addressing PET microplastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

In vivo degradation of polyethylene terephthalate using microbial isolates from plastic polluted environment.

Researchers isolated four microbial strains from plastic waste dumping sites and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene terephthalate in vivo, finding measurable weight loss and surface modification of PET films over 30 days, with Aspergillus species demonstrating the highest degradation efficiency.

2023 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

Sustainable solution for microplastic removal: Sequential biodegradation and detoxification of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by two natural microbial consortia

Researchers developed a two-stage approach using natural microbial communities to break down PET microplastics and neutralize their toxic byproducts. The first bacterial-fungal group achieved 28% degradation over 60 days, while a second group of bacteria further processed the breakdown products, reducing their toxicity. The study demonstrates that sequential microbial treatment could be a practical, eco-friendly strategy for addressing PET microplastic pollution.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene degradation and assimilation by the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

Researchers discovered that the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa can degrade and assimilate polyethylene, reducing plastic mass, altering surface chemistry, and incorporating plastic-derived carbon into cellular lipids, suggesting a biological pathway for ocean plastic breakdown.

2023 ISME Communications 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics by an engineered Stenotrophomonas pavanii in the presence of biofilm

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.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastic Degrading Indigenous Bacteria from Ambon Bay Waters

Researchers characterised indigenous bacteria from Ambon Bay waters for their ability to degrade microplastics, focusing on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) degradation potential and identifying optimal conditions for microbial plastic breakdown.

2024 HAYATI Journal of Biosciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria breakdown poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)

Scientists used microcosm studies to investigate whether marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria can break down PET plastic, finding that specific bacterial strains could colonize and degrade PET surfaces, offering insights into natural plastic biodegradation in the ocean.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Microbiology: Discovering Biochemical Enhancers of PET Biodegradation by Piscinibacter sakaiensis

This paper reviews biochemical strategies for enhancing PET biodegradation by microorganisms, focusing on the discovery and engineering of plastic-degrading enzymes. The review highlights recent advances and remaining challenges in scaling up enzymatic plastic degradation for industrial applications.

2024
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microbial degradation of polyethylene terephthalate: a systematic review

This systematic review examines how microorganisms like bacteria and fungi can break down PET plastic, one of the most common types of plastic waste. The research identifies several promising biological approaches that could help reduce plastic pollution without the harmful side effects of chemical recycling methods. Finding better ways to break down plastic waste is critical for reducing the microplastics that end up in our water, food, and bodies.

2022 SN Applied Sciences 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrolase and plastic-degrading microbiota explain degradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics during high-temperature composting

Researchers tested a PET-degrading enzyme (WCCG) in high-temperature composting and found that adding the enzyme achieved 35% PET degradation, while native plastic-degrading microbiota alone (including Acinetobacter and Bacillus) reduced PET by 26%, suggesting both enzymatic and microbial approaches can address PET microplastic pollution.

2023 Bioresource Technology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Breaking down the plastics paradox: polymer degrading microorganisms

This review examines microorganisms capable of degrading plastics, cataloging the bacteria and fungi discovered to break down common polymers like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET. Identifying and harnessing plastic-degrading microbes could provide biological solutions to the accumulation of microplastics in the environment.

2023 Bulgarian Chemical Communications
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Typical Plastics: From Microbial Diversity to Metabolic Mechanisms

This review examines how marine microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, can naturally break down common plastics like PET, polystyrene, and polyethylene. Marine microbes may be better adapted than land-based organisms for this task because they already thrive in harsh conditions, offering a potential environmentally friendly approach to addressing ocean plastic pollution.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 115 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on microbial bioremediation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics

This review focuses on microbial biodegradation of PET microplastics — the plastic used in bottles and synthetic textiles — detailing the specific enzymes (PETase and MHETase) that bacteria use to break the polymer down into its chemical building blocks. Biological degradation offers a lower-energy, more environmentally gentle alternative to chemical recycling or landfill, and understanding the microbial mechanisms involved is key to developing scalable bioremediation solutions for one of the most pervasive microplastic types.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Polyethylene Microplastic using Culturable Coral-Associated Bacteria Isolated from Corals of Karimunjawa National Park

Researchers isolated bacteria from corals in Indonesia's Karimunjawa National Park and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene microplastics. Coral-associated bacteria showed measurable polyethylene degradation activity, suggesting that coral reef microbial communities may contribute to local plastic breakdown despite the slow overall rate.

2021 ILMU KELAUTAN Indonesian Journal of Marine Sciences 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbe‐mediated biodegradation of microplastics from wastes

Researchers examined microbe-mediated biodegradation of microplastics from waste, reviewing bacterial and fungal species capable of breaking down various plastic polymers and discussing enzymatic mechanisms that could be harnessed for bioremediation strategies.

2023 Water and Environment Journal 13 citations
Article Tier 2

An archaeal lid-containing feruloyl-esterase degrades polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

This study identified the first archaeal enzyme capable of degrading PET plastic, characterizing its structure and biochemical properties. Expanding the diversity of organisms with PET-degrading enzymes could accelerate the development of biological strategies for breaking down the microplastics contaminating marine and terrestrial environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Development of a yeast whole-cell biocatalyst for MHET conversion into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol

Researchers engineered baker's yeast to display plastic-degrading enzymes on its cell surface, demonstrating a simpler and potentially cheaper approach to breaking down PET plastic — the material used in bottles — without requiring the costly step of purifying the enzymes first.

2022 Microbial Cell Factories 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Degradation of (Micro)plastics: Mechanisms, Enhancements, and Future Directions

This review examines how microorganisms can break down microplastics using enzymes like PETase and laccases, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to other cleanup methods. While microbial degradation holds promise for reducing microplastic pollution and its associated health risks, current efficiency is too low for large-scale application and needs further improvement.

2024 Fermentation 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Current Knowledge on Polyethylene Terephthalate Degradation by Genetically Modified Microorganisms

This review covers genetically modified microorganisms engineered to degrade polyethylene terephthalate, examining how bioengineering of enzymes such as PETase and enhanced expression systems can overcome the low biodegradation rates of wild-type microorganisms toward this ubiquitous plastic.

2021 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by bacterial communities from activated sludge

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.

2020 The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 61 citations