Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Co-metabolic breakdown of LDPE microplastics in PGPR-Assisted phytoremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics were degraded through a co-metabolic process by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), suggesting that beneficial soil bacteria can be harnessed to break down plastic in the root zone. The approach offers a bioremediation strategy that simultaneously improves soil microbiome function.

2025 International Journal of Phytoremediation 1 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

Genomic Diversity of Two Hydrocarbon-Degrading and Plant Growth-Promoting Pseudomonas Species Isolated from the Oil Field of Bóbrka (Poland)

The genomes of two soil bacteria capable of degrading hydrocarbons (petroleum products) were analyzed to understand which genes drive pollutant breakdown. This has potential relevance to bioremediation of plastic-associated chemical pollution in contaminated soils.

2019 Genes 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced remediation of petroleum in soil by petroleum-degrading bacterium strain TDYN1 and the effects of microplastics

Researchers conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the petroleum hydrocarbon degradation capability of bacterium strain TDYN1 in soil and to assess how microplastics affect the bioremediation process. They found that while TDYN1 effectively degraded total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), the presence of microplastics in soil influenced degradation dynamics, with implications for in situ bioremediation strategies.

2025 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of plasticizers by novel strains of bacteria isolated from plastic waste near Juhu Beach, Mumbai, India

Researchers isolated four novel bacterial strains from soil near a beach in Mumbai and found they could break down phthalate-based plasticizers — chemicals commonly added to plastics — suggesting potential biological tools for cleaning up these persistent environmental pollutants.

2024 Scientific Reports 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Unique Raoultella species isolated from petroleum contaminated soil degrades polystyrene and polyethylene

Researchers isolated a bacterium called Raoultella sp. DY2415 from oil-contaminated soil and found it could degrade both polyethylene and polystyrene plastics within 60 days, introducing new oxygen-containing groups into the plastic structure. This discovery adds a new microbial candidate to the search for biological solutions to plastic pollution.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 19 citations
Article Tier 2

High-efficiency degradation of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) by Pseudarthrobacter defluvii E5: Performance, degradative pathway, and key genes

A bacterial strain Pseudarthrobacter defluvii E5 isolated from agricultural soil efficiently degraded multiple phthalate ester plasticizers including DEHP and DBP through a characterized enzymatic pathway, with key genes identified that could be targets for engineering enhanced bioremediation strains for phthalate-contaminated soils.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 91 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

Effects of biodegradable microplastics coexistence with biochars produced at low and high temperatures on bacterial community structure and phenanthrene degradation in soil

Researchers investigated how biodegradable microplastics interact with biochar in soil to affect bacterial communities and pollutant degradation. The study found that the coexistence of PBAT microplastics and biochar significantly altered soil microbial structure and influenced the degradation of phenanthrene, suggesting complex interactions between these increasingly common soil amendments.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on bacterial community and PAHs natural attenuation in agricultural soils

Researchers found that biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics differently affect soil bacterial communities and the natural attenuation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soils, with biodegradable plastics sometimes enhancing microbial activity while conventional plastics inhibited PAH degradation.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation of a soil bacterium for remediation of polyurethane and low-density polyethylene: a promising tool towards sustainable cleanup of the environment.

A soil bacterium tentatively classified in the Pseudomonas genus was found to biodegrade both polyurethane and low-density polyethylene plastics. The discovery of a single bacterial strain capable of degrading two different types of plastic is a step toward developing practical microbial tools for plastic waste remediation.

2021 3 Biotech
Article Tier 2

Microplastics reduced bioavailability and altered toxicity of phenanthrene to maize (Zea mays L.) through modulating rhizosphere microbial community and maize growth

Researchers studied how microplastics affect the behavior of phenanthrene, a common soil pollutant, in maize-growing soil. They found that microplastics reduced the amount of phenanthrene absorbed by the plants while also changing the microbial communities around the roots. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil can alter how other pollutants interact with crops, sometimes reducing their uptake but also shifting soil ecology in complex ways.

2023 Chemosphere 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Naphthalene concentration dynamics in an aqueous medium in the presence of Bacillus megaterium

Researchers examined the biodegradation of naphthalene at initial concentrations of 1-3 g/L by Bacillus megaterium MK64-1 in synthetic wastewater, finding that naphthalene concentrations decreased to hundredths of a gram within 14 days while microbial counts increased to 10^9-10^11 CFU/mL with no toxic effect on the bacteria.

2025 Proceedings of universities Applied chemistry and biotechnology
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

Screening of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria helps alleviate the joint toxicity of PVC+Cd pollution in sorghum plants

Researchers isolated soil bacteria that promote plant growth and showed they can partially offset the combined toxicity of PVC microplastics and cadmium in sorghum, restoring soil nutrient availability and shifting rhizosphere bacterial communities in ways that support nitrogen and phosphorus cycling.

2024 Environmental Pollution 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the mechanism of the effect of polyethylene microplastics on phenanthrene degradation in agricultural soils through DNA-based stable isotope probing

Using DNA-based stable isotope probing, polyethylene microplastics were found to promote phenanthrene biodegradation rate from 79.0% to 92.3% in agricultural soils by stimulating and prolonging activity of specific degrading genera including Flavisolibacter and Nocardioides.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

An integrated Metagenomic-Pangenomic strategy revealed native microbes and magnetic biochar cooperation in plasticizer degradation

A combined metagenomic-pangenomic approach identified native Pseudomonas and Pigmentiphaga species that cooperate with magnetic biochar to degrade the plasticizer diethyl phthalate, with Pigmentiphaga capable of fully mineralizing the compound.

2023 Chemical Engineering Journal 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Regulatory Mechanisms of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria in Alleviating Microplastic and Heavy Metal Combined Pollution: Insights from Plant Growth and Metagenomic Analysis

Researchers used metagenomic sequencing to investigate how plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) mitigate the combined toxicity of microplastics and heavy metals on plant growth. PGPB inoculation restored rhizosphere microbial function and reduced plant stress, revealing microbiome-mediated mechanisms for alleviating mixed pollutant toxicity.

2025 Agronomy
Article Tier 2

Microbial synergies in phytoremediation: A comprehensive review

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a review of how soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) assist plants in removing pollutants like heavy metals and hydrocarbons through phytoremediation; while the study addresses environmental contamination broadly, it does not examine microplastic pollution or its effects.

2026 International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research
Article Tier 2

Characterization of the Phenanthrene-Degrading Sphingobium yanoikuyae SJTF8 in Heavy Metal Co-Existing Liquid Medium and Analysis of Its Metabolic Pathway

Researchers identified a bacterium capable of breaking down over 98% of a common carcinogenic pollutant (phenanthrene) within four days, even under stressful conditions. This discovery has potential value for cleaning up soil and water contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which often co-occur with plastic pollution.

2020 Microorganisms 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Promotion of the biodegradation of phenanthrene adsorbed on microplastics by the functional bacterial consortium QY1 in the presence of humic acid: Bioavailability and toxicity evaluation

Researchers found that humic acid significantly promoted the biodegradation of phenanthrene adsorbed on microplastics by a bacterial consortium, improving contaminant bioavailability and reducing toxicity in aquatic environments.

2022 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation of a novel microplastic-degrading bacterial strain: a promising agent for low-density polyethylene remediation

Researchers isolated and compared two bacterial strains for their ability to biodegrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE), identifying Paenarthrobacter nitroguajacolicus as a novel candidate for plastic remediation. The study found that P. nitroguajacolicus showed superior growth and metabolic activity when using LDPE as its sole carbon source, while both strains produced visible structural and chemical changes in the plastic, suggesting complementary roles in potential bioremediation strategies.

2025 Chemosphere 5 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

Bacterial degradation of phenol: a review of the current state of knowledge

Not relevant to microplastics — this review summarizes how bacteria degrade phenol, a toxic industrial contaminant, covering metabolic pathways, influencing factors, and challenges for applied bioremediation in contaminated wastewater.

2024 Ife Journal of Science 3 citations