Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Isolation and Identification of Plastic Degrading Fungi from Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Researchers isolated 12 fungal species from plastic dump yards and waste sites in Bangalore, India, identifying Penicillium, Aspergillus niger, and Trichoderma as the most dominant plastic-degrading candidates. The study used serial dilution, spread plating, and microscopy techniques to characterize these fungi, which demonstrated potential for eco-friendly biodegradation of plastic waste in landfills.

2025 Kavaka
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene by the Fungus Cladosporium sp. Recovered from a Landfill Site

Researchers demonstrated that the fungus Cladosporium sp., isolated from a landfill site, can biodegrade low-density polyethylene, showing measurable weight loss and surface structural changes in treated plastic films over the incubation period.

2023 Journal of Fungi 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening of Fungal Isolates for Biodegradation Potentials of Low-Density Polyethylene from Selected Dumpsites

Researchers screened fungi isolated from soil at Nigerian waste dump sites for their ability to degrade low-density polyethylene plastic, identifying candidate species for potential use in bioremediation. Fungal biodegradation of common plastics like LDPE could help address plastic waste in environments with poor waste management infrastructure.

2023 Sahel Journal of Life Sciences FUDMA 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential of fungi isolated from the dumping sites mangrove rhizosphere soil to degrade polythene

Researchers screened 109 fungal isolates from mangrove rhizosphere soils in India and identified two Aspergillus species — A. terreus and A. sydowii — capable of significantly degrading polyethylene plastic, with one strain reducing tensile strength by over 94%. The findings expand the toolkit of plastic-degrading microorganisms and support the use of mangrove fungi in bioremediation of polyethylene waste.

2019 Scientific Reports 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Cladosporium cladosporioides (strain Clc/1): a candidate for low-density polyethylene degradation

Researchers isolated 47 fungal strains from plastic debris collected in the field and tested their ability to break down low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic, finding that only one strain, Cladosporium cladosporioides, visibly degraded the plastic surface after 90 days. Using a combination of microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, they confirmed early-stage chemical breakdown of the plastic, suggesting this common environmental fungus has potential for biological plastic degradation.

2023 Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 18 citations
Article Tier 2

The Diversity of Fungi in Landfill and their Potential to Degrade Plastic

Researchers isolated 24 fungal morphotypes from plastic waste samples at Terjun Landfill in Medan, Indonesia, screening them for plastic-degradation potential on mineral salt medium with plastic powder. Among five promising isolates identified by molecular methods — including Fusarium solani, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus niger — the Fusarium solani isolate achieved 20.83% weight reduction of low-density polyethylene sheets after 45 days.

2024 OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Fungi-mediated Biodegradation Pathway of Polymers in Environmental Systems(Dump Sites)

This study explored how fungi found at waste dump sites can break down plastic polymers including nylon bags. Species such as Aspergillus niger were identified and showed some capacity for polymer degradation, suggesting potential use in plastic bioremediation.

2023 Microbiology Research Journal International
Article Tier 2

Identification and Screening of Enzymatic Activity of Degrading Fungi Microplastics in Three Final Processing Sites (TPA) in the Province Lampung

Researchers screened fungi from three landfill sites in Lampung Province, Indonesia for microplastic-degrading enzymatic activity, identifying several fungal strains capable of degrading plastic polymers as candidates for bioremediation applications.

2025 Biology Medicine & Natural Product Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of municipal plastic wastes collected from solid waste landfills of Jammu, India

This study tested soil bacteria and fungi isolated from a landfill in Jammu, India, for their ability to biodegrade low-density polyethylene and other municipal plastic wastes. Identifying landfill-derived microorganisms capable of degrading common plastics could lead to bioremediation strategies for plastic-contaminated sites.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of polyethylene by indigenous fungi from waste recycling site, South West, Nigeria

Researchers isolated fungi from a Nigerian plastic dumpsite and found that Aspergillus nidulans, Eurotium repens, and Penicillium chrysogenum can break down polyethylene plastic, causing measurable weight loss and chemical changes in the plastic. These naturally occurring fungi could offer a cheap, eco-friendly method for managing plastic waste in developing countries.

2022 Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center 12 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vitro and Ex Situ Biodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene by a Rhizopus sp. Strain Isolated from a Local Dumpsite in North-East Algeria

A Rhizopus sp. fungal strain isolated from an Algerian landfill was tested for its ability to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags in laboratory conditions. The fungus reduced the weight and altered the surface structure of LDPE samples over time, indicating partial biodegradation. Landfill environments may harbor fungi with potential for plastic bioremediation applications.

2022 Environment and Natural Resources Journal 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Myco-remediation of plastic pollution: current knowledge and future prospects

Researchers reviewed the growing body of evidence showing that fungi can break down common plastics — including polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene — by secreting specialized enzymes that attack and mineralize plastic polymers, with many effective species coming from the Aspergillus and Penicillium families. The review calls for metagenomic approaches to discover more plastic-degrading fungi and develop them into practical bioremediation tools.

2023 Biodegradation 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting indigenous bacteria from landfill leachate for enhanced polypropylene microplastics degradation

Researchers isolated bacteria from landfill leachate to test their ability to degrade polypropylene microplastics. They identified a novel Staphylococcus haemolyticus strain that reduced polypropylene dry weight by over 25% in 30 days, with surface and chemical analysis confirming structural degradation through hydrolysis and oxidation.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Biodegradation of Synthetic Polyethylene and Polyurethane Polymers by Pedospheric Microbes: Towards Sustainable Environmental Management

Researchers isolated fungi and bacteria from dumpsite soils and tested their ability to break down polyethylene and polyurethane plastics. They found that several microbial species showed notable biodegradation potential under laboratory conditions. The study suggests that soil microorganisms naturally adapted to waste environments could offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach to managing synthetic plastic pollution.

2025 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting of Mangrove Filamentous Fungi for the Biodegradation of Polyethylene Microplastics

Researchers screened mangrove-associated filamentous fungi for the ability to biodegrade polyethylene microplastics, identifying candidate strains with plastic-degrading potential. Selected fungal isolates showed measurable polyethylene degradation activity, expanding the known roster of plastic-degrading organisms and highlighting mangrove ecosystems as a source of environmentally relevant bioremediation agents.

2024 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 5 citations
Article Tier 2

An overview on role of fungi in systematic plastic degradation

This review examines the role of fungi in plastic degradation, surveying fungal species and enzymes capable of breaking down common polymers and discussing their potential for sustainable bioremediation of plastic pollution in the environment.

2022 Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of microplastics in artificially polluted soil by bacterial and fungal isolates originating from landfill leachate

Researchers tested whether bacterial and fungal isolates from landfill leachate could degrade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in artificially polluted agricultural soil, finding that the microbial isolates showed measurable degradation activity against both polymer types.

2025 Soil & Environment
Article Tier 2

Isolation, Screening and Characterization of Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Soil for PWM

Scientists isolated bacteria from soil near garbage sites and identified strains capable of degrading plastic materials, with scanning electron microscopy revealing physical damage — holes and cracks — to plastic surfaces after bacterial exposure within 30 days. The study contributes to the search for soil microbes that could be harnessed for biological plastic waste management. Biodegradation by indigenous soil bacteria could offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to landfilling or incineration of plastic waste.

2026 Current World Environment
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Plastics by Fungi

This review examines how fungi — including naturally occurring species found in soil and marine environments — can break down common plastic polymers including polyethylene under low-nutrient conditions. Laboratory evidence suggests some fungal species can degrade plastic pellets, reducing their mass and size, offering a potentially cheaper and more ecologically compatible alternative to industrial plastic disposal methods. Scaling up fungal biodegradation remains a challenge, but the findings suggest microbes could play a significant role in reducing environmental microplastic accumulation over time.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimizing Eco-Friendly Degradation of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Using Environmental Strains of Malassezia Species and Aspergillus fumigatus

Researchers isolated fungi from landfill soils and identified strains of Aspergillus and Malassezia species capable of degrading polyvinyl chloride plastic. They optimized conditions for the fungi's depolymerase activity and found that temperature, pH, and metal ion supplements significantly influenced degradation efficiency. The study suggests that these environmental fungi could contribute to eco-friendly approaches for reducing PVC plastic pollution.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Ability of fungi isolated from plastic debris floating in the shoreline of a lake to degrade plastics

Researchers isolated over 100 fungal strains from plastic debris floating in a Swiss lake and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene and polyurethane, finding that none could degrade polyethylene but four species degraded polyurethane. The results highlight the limited capacity of naturally occurring plastic-colonizing fungi to break down the most abundant plastic polymers in the environment.

2018 PLoS ONE 166 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Fungi Isolated from Different Plastic Polluted Sites on Low Density Polyethylene Material Degradation with Reference to SEM Analysis

Fungi isolated from plastic-polluted environments were tested for their ability to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a common packaging plastic, under laboratory conditions. Microscopic analysis confirmed surface degradation, suggesting that naturally occurring fungi from contaminated sites may have enhanced plastic-degrading ability.

2020 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic-inhabiting fungi in marine environments and PCL degradation activity

Researchers collected fungi growing on plastic waste along Korean coastlines and tested their ability to break down a biodegradable plastic called polycaprolactone (PCL), finding that 87 out of 108 species identified showed some degradation ability. This suggests that ocean plastic surfaces host a diverse community of fungi that could potentially be harnessed to biologically break down plastic pollution in marine environments.

2022 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 35 citations
Article Tier 2

A study on the ability of some fungi isolated from oil soil contaminated to biodegradation plastic and paper waste in Kirkuk city

Researchers evaluated the capacity of fungi isolated from oil-contaminated soil in Kirkuk City, Iraq to biodegrade plastic and paper waste under laboratory conditions, testing fungal isolates on different substrate types over defined incubation periods. The study identified several fungal species with measurable plastic-degrading activity, contributing to knowledge of soil microbial biodegradation potential in petroleum-contaminated environments.

2024 Magna Scientia Advanced Research and Reviews