Papers

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Article Tier 2

A Comparative Study of Low-density Polyethylene Shopping Carry Bag Degrading Bacteria Isolated from Marine and Garden Soil

Researchers isolated bacteria from marine and garden soil and tested their ability to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags. Two species — Paenibacillus castanea and Riemerella anatipestifer — achieved up to 7.3% weight loss of LDPE after 35 days, demonstrating that soil bacteria can slowly break down this common plastic. This research is relevant to understanding natural LDPE degradation pathways and the formation of microplastics as larger plastic items fragment in soil and marine environments.

2023 International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of LDPE plastic by local strain of Bacillus sp. isolated from dump soil of Pekanbaru, Indonesia

Scientists isolated a local strain of Bacillus bacteria from landfill soil in Indonesia and tested its ability to break down low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic. The bacteria showed measurable ability to degrade LDPE, reducing plastic weight over time. This research supports the potential for using locally sourced soil bacteria in plastic biodegradation efforts.

2021 Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microorganism-Based Bioremediation Approach for Plastics and Microplastics Wastes

Soil bacteria were isolated and screened for plastic-degrading capacity, with one of five isolates showing the highest low-density polyethylene (LDPE) degradation, demonstrating that soil-derived actinobacteria and other bacteria can contribute to bioremediation of plastic waste.

2024
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) using marine bacteria isolated from tropical beaches of megacity Mumbai

Marine bacteria isolated from plastic debris buried in beach sediments at seven Mumbai beaches were able to colonize and partially degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic. Identifying bacteria naturally adapted to plastic-rich marine environments is a step toward developing biological tools for plastic degradation, though the process is currently far too slow to address the scale of ocean plastic pollution without significant enhancement.

2024 Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences 2 citations
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

Microbial degradation of virgin polyethylene by bacteria isolated from a landfill site

Researchers isolated bacteria from landfill sites that had been exposed to plastic waste for up to 17 years and tested their ability to break down high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a common plastic used in packaging. The bacterium Bacillus cereus achieved the highest degradation at only 1.78% weight loss, confirming that plastic biodegradation in landfills is an extremely slow process.

2022 SN Applied Sciences 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in soils: Unlocking the mechanism and biodegradation pathway

Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in soil and break down biologically, finding that certain microorganisms can form biofilms on plastic surfaces and use enzymes to slowly degrade the polymers — though conditions like pH, temperature, and moisture must be optimized and new plastic-degrading microbes need to be identified before this approach can be widely applied.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Putative degraders of low‐density polyethylene‐derived compounds are ubiquitous members of plastic‐associated bacterial communities in the marine environment

This study compared bacterial communities on plastic debris from the Pacific, North Atlantic, and northern Adriatic to identify potential plastic-degrading microbes, finding that putative LDPE-degraders are widespread and common members of ocean plastic biofilms. The widespread distribution of plastic-degrading bacteria in ocean environments suggests that biological plastic breakdown is occurring in the ocean, but at an unknown rate.

2020 Environmental Microbiology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Metatranscriptomics of microbial biofilm succession on HDPE foil: uncovering plastic-degrading potential in soil communities

Using genetic analysis, researchers examined which microbial genes are active on polyethylene plastic surfaces in landfill soil versus undisturbed forest soil. They found that both communities carry genes capable of degrading plastic, with plastic-degrading enzymes being most active during early biofilm formation. The discovery that even undisturbed soils harbor plastic-degrading microbes is promising for bioremediation strategies, though the slow rate of natural breakdown means microplastics still persist in soils for very long periods.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Review Tier 2

[Interaction between microplastics and microorganisms in soil environment: a review].

This review examines how microplastics alter soil microbial community structure and diversity, and how microorganisms in turn colonize plastic surfaces and degrade them through extracellular enzymes — with degradation efficiency dependent on polymer properties and environmental conditions.

2023 PubMed 10 citations
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

Exploitation of bacterial strains for microplastics (LDPE) biodegradation

Researchers tested five bacterial strains for their ability to biodegrade low-density polyethylene microplastics over four months. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the most significant degradation with an 18.2% weight loss, followed by Bacillus subtilis at 16.1%. The study demonstrates that naturally occurring soil bacteria can break down polyethylene microplastics, suggesting a potential biological approach to addressing plastic waste pollution.

2023 Chemosphere 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Polyesters and Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene in Soil: Interrelations of Material Properties, Soil Organic Matter Substances, and Microbial Community

Researchers examined how biodegradable polyesters and low molecular weight polyethylene behave in soil environments, investigating their interactions with soil organic matter and microbial communities over time. They found that both biodegradable and conventional polymer microplastics alter soil microbial community composition and interact with organic matter fractions, with biodegradable plastics showing distinct but not necessarily more benign effects than conventional plastics.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 16 citations
Article Tier 2

A polyethylene surrogate for microbial community enrichment and characterization

Researchers developed a method to enrich and characterize microbial communities capable of biodegrading a polyethylene surrogate, enabling study of potential polyethylene degradation over much shorter timescales than direct polyethylene experiments would allow, and using the approach to isolate several candidate degrading microbial communities.

2024 Environmental Microbiology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm's guts: A potential for soil restoration

Researchers isolated bacteria from earthworm guts that were able to degrade low-density polyethylene, demonstrating that intestinal microbes from soil invertebrates may play a role in plastic breakdown. The findings suggest that earthworm gut microbiomes are a reservoir of plastic-degrading bacteria with potential applications for bioremediation of LDPE-contaminated soils.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 436 citations
Article Tier 2

Challenges with Verifying Microbial Degradation of Polyethylene

This critical review examines published claims of microbial polyethylene degradation, finding that while surface colonization and minor chemical changes have been demonstrated, complete biodegradation of polyethylene under ambient conditions remains unproven and methodological rigor is often lacking.

2020 Polymers 354 citations
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

Plastics Biodegradation in the Short Term in a Mediterranean Soil and the Effect of Organic Amendment

Researchers investigated short-term biodegradation of conventional plastics in Mediterranean agricultural soil and examined the effect of organic amendment on degradation rates, testing whether low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and biodegradable alternatives differ in their breakdown behavior under realistic field conditions.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Metagenomic exploration of microbial and enzymatic traits involved in microplastic biodegradation

A metagenomic study of agricultural soil microcosms containing low-density polyethylene and polylactic acid mulch films revealed the diversity of plastic-degrading enzymes and associated microbial communities capable of microplastic biodegradation.

2023 Chemosphere 28 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

Metatranscriptome profile of agricultural microbial communities enriched for plastitrophy

Researchers used metatranscriptomic profiling of agricultural soil microbial communities enriched via a Winogradsky column with polyethylene and then minimal media with low-density polyethylene to identify novel plastic-degrading microorganisms and candidate enzymes for plastitrophic metabolism.

2025 mLife
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

Degradation and potential metabolism pathway of polystyrene by bacteria from landfill site

This study identified bacteria from landfill soil capable of degrading polystyrene microplastics, characterizing the microbial community involved and elucidating potential metabolic pathways for polystyrene breakdown. The findings support the potential for bioremediation of this otherwise recalcitrant plastic.

2023 Environmental Pollution 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of LDPE microplastics on chemical properties and microbial communities in soil

Low-density polyethylene microplastics were added to soil at varying concentrations, revealing dose-dependent effects on soil chemical properties and shifts in microbial community composition. Higher LDPE concentrations altered soil pH, nutrient availability, and bacterial diversity, raising concerns about plastic impacts on soil ecosystem function.

2022 Soil Use and Management 46 citations