Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

Biodegradation of micro-polyethylene particles by bacterial colonization of a mixed microbial consortium isolated from a landfill site

A bacterial consortium isolated from a municipal landfill, dominated by Bacillus and Paenibacillus species, was shown to reduce the dry weight of polyethylene microplastic particles by 14.7% and particle diameter by 22.8% after 60 days of incubation. The study provides evidence that landfill-adapted bacteria can biodegrade PE microplastics under mesophilic conditions.

2019 Chemosphere 427 citations
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

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

Polycarbonate biodegradation by newly isolated Bacillus strains

Researchers isolated Bacillus strains capable of biodegrading polycarbonate from buried plastic films, demonstrating measurable polymer degradation through enzymatic activity including lipase and amylase production over the screening period.

2023 Archives of Environmental Protection 32 citations
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

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

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

Biodeterioration of Microplastics: A Promising Step towards Plastics Waste Management

Researchers screened bacteria from a landfill site for plastic-degrading ability, finding Alcaligenes faecalis and Bacillus cereus as the most active strains, achieving up to 17% degradation of polyester and 29% degradation of polyester by Bacillus cereus. Surface changes confirmed degradation was occurring, and no pre-treatment was needed for these bacteria to utilize plastic as an energy source.

2022 Polymers 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of microplastics and the plastisphere bacteria in the acidogenic phase of simulated municipal solid waste landfilling

Researchers simulated conditions inside a municipal solid waste landfill and found that different microplastic types (PE, PS, and PLA) aged and degraded at very different rates during the acidogenic leachate phase, with distinct microbial communities forming on each plastic type. This matters because landfills are both sources and sinks for microplastics, and understanding how plastics degrade there helps predict what eventually leaches into groundwater and surrounding soil.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Significance of landfill microbial communities in biodegradation of polyethylene and nylon 6,6 microplastics

Researchers isolated bacteria from a municipal landfill and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene and nylon 6,6 microplastics. The study demonstrated that Achromobacter xylosoxidans reduced microplastic weight by up to 26.7% in 40 days through enzyme-mediated polymer chain breakdown, suggesting that landfill microbial communities may offer potential pathways for sustainable plastic waste management.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 53 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

High density polyethylene microplastics biodegradation by bacteria isolated from a landfill in Cali, Colombia

Researchers isolated bacteria from a landfill in Cali, Colombia, and evaluated their ability to biodegrade high-density polyethylene (HDPE) microplastics, addressing gaps in knowledge about microbial degradation of persistent plastic particles. The study identified bacterial strains capable of accelerating HDPE breakdown, demonstrating the potential of landfill-derived microorganisms for bioremediation.

2024 Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Simulated dump yard microbes drive significant biodegradation of polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that bacterial cultures isolated from simulated dump yards can significantly break down polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics. Using metagenomics and phylogenetic analysis, the study identified specific bacterial species capable of degrading these common plastic types, suggesting potential biological approaches for microplastic remediation.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Potency of Indigenous Microbes of Piyungan Landfill Yogyakarta for Microplastic Biodegradation

Indigenous bacteria and fungi isolated from a landfill in Yogyakarta, Indonesia showed potential for biodegrading microplastics, offering a nature-based approach to plastic waste remediation.

2023
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

Identification and degradation potential of microplastics by indigenous bacteria isolated from Putri Cempo Landfill, Surakarta, Indonesia

Researchers isolated and identified bacteria from the Putri Cempo Landfill in Surakarta, Indonesia using Soil Extract Media, then evaluated their ability to degrade different types of plastic contaminants found in agricultural environments, aiming to develop bioremediation solutions for microplastic contamination in farmland soils.

2024 EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE (EJSS) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into the degradation of high-density polyethylene microplastics using microbial strains: Effect of process parameters, degradation kinetics and modeling

Researchers tested several microbial strains for their ability to break down high-density polyethylene microplastics and developed models to predict degradation rates. Certain bacteria and fungi showed measurable ability to deteriorate the plastic surface over weeks of exposure. The study contributes to the development of biological approaches for remediating microplastic pollution in the environment.

2023 Waste Management 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Harnessing Microorganisms for Microplastic Degradation: A Sustainable Approach to Mitigating Environmental Pollution

This review surveys microorganisms—bacteria, fungi, and other taxa—capable of degrading microplastics, examining the enzymes, metabolic pathways, and environmental conditions involved, and assessing the practical potential of harnessing these organisms for bioremediation of plastic pollution.

2025 NIPES Journal of Science and Technology Research
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Microplastics: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Future Prospects for Environmental Remediation

This review assesses microbial biodegradation as a strategy for reducing microplastic pollution, focusing on how bacteria and fungi break down common plastic polymers under various environmental conditions. Researchers found that while several microbial strains can degrade plastics like polyethylene and polystyrene, the process is generally slow and varies with temperature, pH, and available nutrients. The study identifies key challenges that must be overcome, including improving degradation rates, before biological approaches can be effective at environmental cleanup scales.

2025 Tropical Aquatic and Soil Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Various Microbes and Their Enzymatic Mechanisms for Biodegradation of Microplastics

This review examines the microbial enzymes and degradation mechanisms responsible for biodegrading microplastic polymers, covering bacterial, fungal, and algal systems that have evolved plastic-degrading capabilities over the past 150 years of plastic production. The authors survey the most promising enzymatic pathways and organisms for biotechnological application in microplastic remediation.

2024
Article Tier 2

Leachate as an alternative culture medium for microalgae growth: Perspectives and challenges

Not relevant to microplastics — this review focuses on growing microalgae in landfill leachate as a way to produce biofuels and treat wastewater, with only incidental mention of contaminants in that leachate.

2026 Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining