Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Identification and Characterization of Microplastic Degrading Bacteria in Three Landfills of Lampung Province

Researchers isolated and characterized microplastic-degrading bacteria from three landfills in Lampung Province, Indonesia, identifying species capable of using plastic as a carbon source with potential utility for bioremediation of plastic-contaminated sites.

2025 Jurnal Bioteknologi & Biosains Indonesia (JBBI)
Article Tier 2

Examining and identifying bacteria-mediated polyethylene terephthalate bottle waste degradation Byprops

Researchers isolated Bacillus subtilis from PET plastic waste dump sites and demonstrated that the bacterium can degrade polyethylene terephthalate microplastics over six months, with UV-pretreated PET showing the most pronounced changes including new alkyl aryl ether and alkene groups detected by FTIR and GC-MS. The findings suggest soil bacteria could offer a biodegradable solution for eliminating PET from plastic-contaminated sites.

2025 International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastic degrading bacteria isolated from the Putri Cempo landfill

Researchers isolated bacteria from a landfill in Indonesia and characterized their ability to degrade microplastics, identifying indigenous strains with potential for use in bioremediation of plastic pollution.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Enrichment and isolation of micro plastic degrading microorganisms from various natural sources

Researchers isolated microplastic-degrading microorganisms from soil and water samples using mineral salt media with polyethylene and polypropylene as sole carbon sources, successfully identifying four distinct microbial isolates capable of degrading these polymers.

2024 Ecology Environment and Conservation
Article Tier 2

Introducing the LDPE degrading microbes of sedimentary systems: from dumpsite to laboratory

This study identified and characterized low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-degrading microbes from dumpsite sedimentary systems, isolating bacteria capable of utilizing LDPE as a carbon source—providing a starting point for developing biological solutions to plastic pollution remediation.

2025 Environmental Science Advances 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineering the mangrove soil microbiome for selection of polyethylene terephthalate-transforming bacterial consortia.

Researchers engineered enrichment cultures from mangrove soil to select bacterial consortia capable of transforming polyethylene terephthalate (PET), finding via metagenome-assembled genomes that PET catabolism was distributed across multiple taxa harbouring putative novel PET-active hydrolases. They also described a novel species, Mangrovimarina plasticivorans, as a key consortium member containing genes for PET monomer metabolism.

2025 Trends in biotechnology
Article Tier 2

Synergistic functional activity of a landfill microbial consortium in a microplastic-enriched environment

Scientists studied soil bacteria from a decades-old landfill to understand how microbes adapt to high concentrations of polyethylene and PET microplastics. They found that multiple bacterial species work together to break down these plastics, with different roles for bacteria floating freely versus those attached to plastic surfaces. While biodegradation of microplastics is possible, it is slow, and understanding these natural processes could eventually help with cleanup efforts.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Biological Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate by Rhizobacteria

Researchers isolated rhizobacteria — bacteria associated with plant roots — that can biodegrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. This finding suggests that soil bacteria near plants may contribute to plastic breakdown in contaminated soils, though degradation rates remain slow.

2022 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient biodegradation of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic by Gordonia sp. CN2K isolated from plastic contaminated environment

Researchers isolated a bacterium called Gordonia sp. CN2K from a waste management site that can break down PET plastic, one of the most widely used and persistent types of plastic. Over 45 days, the bacterium degraded over 40% of PET microplastic by using it as its sole carbon and energy source. The findings suggest that naturally occurring microorganisms could be harnessed to help address the growing problem of microplastic pollution in the environment.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 38 citations
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

Exploring genetic landscape of low-density polyethylene degradation for sustainable troubleshooting of plastic pollution at landfills

Researchers investigated the genetic mechanisms behind microbial degradation of low-density polyethylene plastic at one of India's largest landfill sites. They identified specific bacterial strains capable of breaking down the plastic and characterized the genes and metabolic pathways involved in the degradation process. The findings point toward potential biological strategies for addressing plastic pollution at landfills, though the degradation rates remain slow compared to the scale of the problem.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of polyethylene plastic bags and bottles using microorganisms isolated from soils of Morogoro, Tanzania

Researchers isolated soil microorganisms from Morogoro, Tanzania, capable of degrading polyethylene plastic bags and bottles, demonstrating that microbial biodegradation could serve as an environmentally friendly approach to managing plastic waste.

2022 Frontiers in Microbiology 27 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
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

Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2: Response surface optimization and genomic evidence for an alternative degradation mechanism

This study identified a soil bacterium, Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2, isolated from a Thai landfill, as capable of degrading PET microplastics and achieving nearly 10% weight loss over 35 days under optimized conditions — through a degradation pathway distinct from the well-known PETase enzyme route. Surface analysis confirmed progressive erosion and chemical changes in the plastic. Discovering new microbial pathways for PET degradation is important for developing biological recycling and remediation strategies for one of the world's most common plastic pollutants.

2026 PLoS ONE
Article Tier 2

Living in a bottle: Bacteria from sediment‐associated Mediterranean waste and potential growth on polyethylene terephthalate

Researchers analyzed bacterial communities inhabiting Mediterranean seafloor sediments trapped inside PET bottles and aluminum cans, using SEM and next-generation sequencing to characterize plastisphere diversity, then screened culturable isolates for the ability to use PET as a carbon source. The study identified bacteria capable of PET degradation, highlighting the potential of ocean-derived plastisphere communities for plastic bioremediation.

2022 MicrobiologyOpen 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in coastal sediments of Pakistan: Site-specific patterns and biodegradation by native bacterial isolates

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination along Pakistan's 850-kilometer coastline and identified seven native bacterial species capable of breaking down common plastics like PET, PVC, and polyethylene — with Pseudomonas azotoformans degrading nearly 38% of polyethylene by weight — pointing toward local microbial solutions for plastic pollution in under-studied regions.

2025 Journal of Ecological Engineering
Article Tier 2

Caracterización del aislado fúngico 2 (C2) capaz de utilizar polímeros celulósicos y plásticos como fuente de carbono

Researchers characterized a fungal isolate (C2) from a consortium capable of growing on cellulosic polymers and plastics including PET, investigating its potential for plastic biodegradation via enzymatic mechanisms. The study advances understanding of how specific fungal strains can utilize synthetic polymers as carbon sources for ecologically sustainable plastic degradation.

2025 JÓVENES EN LA CIENCIA
Article Tier 2

Isolation and characterization of new bacterial strains degrading low-density polyethylene

Researchers isolated and characterized new bacterial strains capable of degrading low-density polyethylene, one of the most common plastic polymers. The strains were found in landfill and compost environments, and the study suggests that biological degradation could be a promising approach for addressing polyethylene waste accumulation.

2024 Chemical and Process Engineering New Frontiers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of PET plastic with engineered environmental bacteria

Scientists engineered a soil bacterium to break down PET plastic, one of the most common plastics in food packaging and textiles, by giving it the ability to produce and secrete a powerful plastic-degrading enzyme. This is one of the first demonstrations of a living microorganism that can directly consume PET as a food source, which could lead to more sustainable recycling approaches.

2024 4 citations
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

A novel Bacillus subtilis BPM12 with high bis(2 hydroxyethyl)terephthalate hydrolytic activity efficiently interacts with virgin and mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate

Researchers discovered a soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis BPM12, that can break down PET plastic building blocks at impressively high rates and across a wide range of temperatures and pH levels. The study shows that combining mechanical shredding with biological degradation by this microbe could be a practical route to recycling more PET plastic waste, a major source of environmental microplastics, back into useful chemicals.

2023 Environmental Technology & Innovation 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting for polyesterase activity relevant for PET degradation in marine Enterobacterales isolates

Researchers screened marine Enterobacterales isolates for polyesterase activity capable of degrading PET plastic, identifying bacterial strains from marine environments as candidates for bioremediation strategies targeting one of the world's most problematic plastic pollutants.

2023 AIMS Microbiology 8 citations