Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Current developments on polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis by using halophiles as a promising cell factory

Researchers reviewed how salt-loving microorganisms called halophiles can serve as efficient biological factories for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of biodegradable plastics that could replace petroleum-based plastics. Their high salt requirements naturally prevent contamination during large-scale fermentation, and advances in metabolic engineering are making PHA production cheaper and more scalable.

2020 Microbial Cell Factories 219 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovative approaches in bioremediation: the role of halophilic microorganisms in mitigating hydrocarbons, toxic metals, and microplastics in hypersaline environments

This review examines the role of halophilic microorganisms in remediating hydrocarbons, toxic metals, and microplastics in hypersaline environments. Researchers highlight that these salt-tolerant extremophiles possess unique metabolic capabilities that make them well-suited for breaking down pollutants under harsh conditions where conventional bioremediation approaches fail. The study suggests that harnessing halophilic microbes could offer innovative solutions for cleaning up contaminated high-salinity ecosystems.

2025 Microbial Cell Factories 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimized Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) Production by Moderately Haloalkaliphilic Bacterium Halomonas alkalicola Ext

Researchers isolated a salt- and alkali-tolerant bacterium from a Kenyan lake and optimized its production of the biodegradable polymer PHBV as an alternative to conventional plastics. Through systematic optimization of growth conditions, they achieved a polymer yield of over 45% of the bacterial cell mass. The study demonstrates that extremophilic microorganisms can serve as efficient producers of biodegradable plastics suitable for packaging and biomedical applications.

2024 International Journal of Polymer Science 17 citations
Article Tier 2

A polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesised by halophilic archaeon Natrialba swarupiae

A salt-loving archaeal microorganism (Natrialba swarupiae) was found capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a type of biodegradable bioplastic. This expands the range of microbes that can be used for sustainable plastic production, with potential to reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics.

2023 Environmental Science Advances 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A Valuable Source of Promising Extremophiles in Microbial Plastic Degradation

This review summarizes research on using bacteria and other microorganisms, especially those from extreme environments, to break down plastic waste. While some organisms can partially degrade plastics using specialized enzymes, the process is still too slow to solve the pollution problem at scale. The research is a promising step toward biological solutions for reducing the massive buildup of microplastics in the environment.

2024 Polymers 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Halophilic archaea as tools for bioremediation technologies

This review examines how salt-loving microorganisms called haloarchaea, which thrive in extremely salty environments, could be used to clean up contaminated brines and saline soils. Researchers found that these organisms have unique metabolic capabilities that allow them to break down or modify toxic compounds including heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and aromatic pollutants. The study highlights the potential of haloarchaea as tools for bioremediation in high-salt environments where most other organisms cannot survive.

2024 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioplastics against Microplastics: Screening of Environmental Bacteria for Bioplastics Production

Researchers screened environmental bacteria for their ability to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate bioplastics, which are biodegradable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. Developing efficient bioplastic-producing strains is one strategy to reduce the long-term accumulation of persistent microplastics in the environment.

2023 Environmental sciences
Article Tier 2

Recent Challenges and Trends of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production by Extremophilic Bacteria Using Renewable Feedstocks

This review explores how extremophilic bacteria, organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, can be used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates, a family of biodegradable bioplastics. Researchers highlight that species like Halomonas offer advantages including contamination resistance and high cell density growth, making them cost-competitive for industrial bioplastic production. The study suggests that combining these organisms with renewable feedstocks such as agricultural waste could advance sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

2023 Polymers 31 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review on Enzymatic Response to Salt Stress and Genomic/Metagenomic Analysis of Adaptation Protein in Hypersaline Environment

This review examines how microorganisms survive in high-salt environments, focusing on the enzymes and genes that help them cope with osmotic stress. Understanding salt-tolerant microbes is relevant to bioremediation of polluted environments, including those contaminated with plastics or chemical waste.

2021 Journal of Tropical Life Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Microorganisms from Plastic-Polluted Sites: Unveiling Plastic Degradation and PHA Production Potential

Researchers screened microorganisms from plastic-polluted sites for their ability to break down conventional plastics and produce a biodegradable alternative called PHA. They identified several bacterial strains capable of degrading synthetic polymers and simultaneously producing this bio-based plastic from waste materials. The study highlights the potential for using naturally adapted microbes from contaminated environments as tools for both plastic cleanup and sustainable material production.

2023 Microorganisms 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The Halophilic Bacterium Paracoccus haeundaensis for the Production of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyvalerate) from Single Carbon Sources

This study demonstrated for the first time that Paracoccus haeundaensis can produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) under nitrogen-limited conditions with glucose as carbon source, identifying it as a potential new bacterial host for biodegradable plastic production.

2023 Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

[Screening, Identification, and Performance of Microplastic-degrading Functional Bacteria in Saline-alkali Soil Environment].

Researchers isolated three strains of salt-resistant bacteria from saline-alkali soil that can degrade microplastics. When all three strains were combined, they achieved weight loss rates of about 22-24% for polyethylene and PET microplastics over 60 days, significantly outperforming individual strains. The study reveals the enzymatic mechanisms behind how these bacteria break down plastic polymers through long-chain depolymerization and metabolic cycling.

2025 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microorganisms harbor keys to a circular bioeconomy making them useful tools in fighting plastic pollution and rising CO2 levels

Researchers argued that microorganisms, especially extremophiles (microbes that thrive in harsh conditions), hold the genetic blueprints needed to develop biotechnologies that can break down plastics and reduce carbon emissions. The paper calls for a major shift toward microbial biotechnology as a cornerstone of a sustainable circular economy that moves beyond fossil fuels and single-use plastics.

2022 Extremophiles 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics and microorganisms and their relationship in high-salinity soil

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution and microbial community structure in high-salinity irrigated farmland soils in Inner Mongolia, finding polyethylene terephthalate particles concentrated near drainage infrastructure and identifying salt-tolerant and plastic-degrading bacterial taxa whose distribution correlated with long-term MP exposure.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Production and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Halomonas alkaliantarctica utilizing dairy waste as feedstock

Researchers found that a salt-tolerant Antarctic bacterium called Halomonas alkaliantarctica can convert cheese whey — a dairy industry waste product — into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biodegradable plastic alternative, producing up to 0.42 g/L without any additional nutrients, offering a dual benefit of waste valorization and sustainable bioplastic production.

2023 Scientific Reports 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic waste impact and biotechnology: Exploring polymer degradation, microbial role, and sustainable development implications

Researchers reviewed how microorganisms and their enzymes can break down different types of plastic waste through both aerobic (oxygen-using) and anaerobic (oxygen-free) pathways. The review highlights biotechnological tools like genetic modification that could accelerate plastic biodegradation, supporting a shift toward a circular economy.

2023 Bioresource Technology Reports 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Toward sustainable plastic bioremediation using bacterial consortia from aquatic environments.

This study explored the biotechnological potential of native bacteria from diverse aquatic environments to biodegrade synthetic plastics and microplastics. Bacterial consortia isolated from contaminated sites showed promising plastic-degrading capabilities, pointing toward bioremediation strategies for plastic pollution.

2025 Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology
Review Tier 2

The plastic and microplastic waste menace and bacterial biodegradation for sustainable environmental clean-up a review

This review examined bacterial biodegradation of plastic and microplastic waste, covering key microbial species, enzymatic mechanisms, and biotechnological approaches being developed for sustainable environmental cleanup of plastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Research 42 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

Microbial biotechnology addressing the plastic waste disaster

This review covers how microbial biotechnology can help address plastic pollution, from engineering microorganisms to degrade plastics to developing biodegradable alternatives. Biological approaches to plastic management could help reduce the global accumulation of microplastics.

2017 Microbial Biotechnology 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Allies in Plastic Degradation: Specific bacterial genera as universal plastic-degraders in various environments

Researchers identified specific bacterial genera capable of degrading multiple types of plastic across different environments including landfill soil, sewage sludge, and river water. They found that certain bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus species, consistently appeared as effective plastic degraders regardless of the environment. The study suggests that these universal plastic-degrading bacteria could be valuable candidates for developing bioremediation strategies to address plastic pollution.

2024 Chemosphere 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Extremophiles, a Nifty Tool to Face Environmental Pollution: From Exploitation of Metabolism to Genome Engineering

This review examines how extremophile microorganisms — adapted to extreme temperatures, pH, salinity, and toxic substances — can be exploited for bioremediation and biotechnology applications, with emerging genome engineering approaches enabling further expansion of their environmental pollution-fighting capabilities.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Seven microbial bio‐processes to help the planet

This paper briefly reviews seven beneficial microbial processes — including plastic biodegradation — that could help address global environmental challenges. It highlights the potential of microbial biotechnology to contribute to solving the plastic pollution crisis, among other problems.

2017 Microbial Biotechnology 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) by Janthinobacterium sp. strain E1 under stress conditions

Researchers isolated a bacterial strain, Janthinobacterium sp. E1, that can efficiently break down phthalate esters, which are chemicals commonly added to plastics to increase flexibility. The bacterium maintained its ability to degrade the pollutant DEHP even under stressful environmental conditions like high salinity and extreme pH. The findings suggest that this microorganism could be useful for cleaning up phthalate-contaminated environments.

2024 The Journal of General and Applied Microbiology 5 citations