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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Biodegradation of polyethylene: a brief review
ClearChallenges 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.
Recent progresses and perspectives of polyethylene biodegradation by bacteria and fungi: A review
This review examines the current state of polyethylene biodegradation by bacteria and fungi, one of the most widely used and difficult-to-degrade plastics. Researchers found that factors such as surface hydrophobicity, physical pretreatment, and environmental conditions significantly influence microbial degradation rates, with biodegradation involving biofilm formation, fragmentation, and eventual mineralization.
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.
Novel Approach in Biodegradation of Synthetic Thermoplastic Polymers: An Overview
This review examines microbial biodegradation pathways for synthetic thermoplastic polymers including polyethylene, highlighting the ecological threat of non-degradable plastics and discussing the mechanisms by which microorganisms can break down both natural and synthetic polymers.
A Review on the Role of Microbes in Polyethene Degradation
This review synthesises literature from 2010 to 2021 on microbial degradation of polyethylene, identifying 19 bacterial and actinomycete genera and 5 fungal genera capable of degrading the polymer via extracellular depolymerases that cleave polymer chains into low molecular weight fragments subsequently assimilated through cell membranes.
A Foundation for Advancing Studies of the Biodegradation of Polyethylene Surrogates by Environmental and Model Laboratory Microbes.
Researchers established a foundation for studying polyethylene biodegradation by surveying microbes capable of degrading branched or linear waxy hydrocarbon surrogates, finding that the degree of branching significantly influences degradability and identifying key environmental and laboratory microbes for further study.
Recent developments in microbial degradation of polypropylene: Integrated approaches towards a sustainable environment
This review covers recent advances in microbial degradation of polypropylene, summarizing bacterial strains, enzyme systems, and environmental conditions that facilitate breakdown of this highly persistent polymer. The authors discuss integrated biotechnological approaches combining physical pretreatment with microbial activity as a pathway toward more effective polypropylene biodegradation.
Biodegradation of typical plastics and its mechanisms
This review summarizes the mechanisms by which common plastic types are broken down by bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in the environment. Despite their chemical stability, many plastics can be degraded — though slowly — with the pace depending on environmental conditions and plastic type. The paper provides a foundation for developing faster biodegradation strategies to reduce plastic pollution.
A Review on Plastic Pollution and Biodegradation of Polyethylene: Indian Region
This review examined plastic pollution and the biodegradation of polyethylene in the Indian context, surveying the broad category of organic polymers derived from petroleum, the acceleration of plastic use with population growth, and the microbial and chemical pathways by which polyethylene breaks down.
Plastics: Environmental and Biotechnological Perspectives on Microbial Degradation
This review explores the environmental challenges of plastic accumulation and the potential for microorganisms to degrade various types of plastics. Researchers summarized recent discoveries of bacteria and fungi capable of breaking down common plastics like polyethylene and PET, though degradation rates remain slow. The study highlights microbial degradation as a promising but still developing biotechnological approach to addressing plastic pollution.
Microbial Degradation of Plastics and Approaches to Make it More Efficient
This review examines microbial degradation of plastics by bacteria and fungi, focusing on polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET, and discusses methods to make biodegradation more efficient as a potential solution to plastic pollution.
The Biodegradation of Plastic by Microorganisms
This review examines how the chemical composition of plastics influences their susceptibility to biodegradation by microorganisms, discussing the diverse biophysical-chemical properties of synthetic polymers that affect microbial degradation rates across different environmental contexts.
Microbial degradation of plastic-A brief review
This review examined microbial degradation of plastics, surveying known plastic-degrading bacteria and fungi and the enzymes they produce, while acknowledging that degradation rates in natural environments remain extremely slow and that biotechnology approaches to accelerating biodegradation require further development.
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.
Comparative evaluation of polyethylene degradation efficiency by two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from urban waste disposal areas
Researchers isolated two Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains from waste disposal sites and found both could use polyethylene as a carbon source, degrading approximately 22–25% of PE mass over 120 days, with chemical analysis confirming structural breakdown of the polymer and identification of degradation intermediates.
Environmental risk, toxicity, and biodegradation of polyethylene: a review.
This review covers the environmental persistence, toxicity, and potential biodegradation of polyethylene — one of the world's most widely produced plastics. Because polyethylene does not biodegrade, it persists for decades and breaks into microplastics that accumulate in soil, water, and living organisms, with documented toxic effects across multiple species.
Current Knowledge on Polyethylene Terephthalate Degradation by Genetically Modified Microorganisms
This review covers genetically modified microorganisms engineered to degrade polyethylene terephthalate, examining how bioengineering of enzymes such as PETase and enhanced expression systems can overcome the low biodegradation rates of wild-type microorganisms toward this ubiquitous plastic.
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.
Construction and degradation characteristics of high-efficiency polyethylene degrading composite microbial community
Researchers engineered a high-efficiency polyethylene-degrading microbial consortium and characterized its degradation pathways and kinetics, finding substantial mass loss and chemical modification of polyethylene under optimized conditions. The consortium outperformed previously described single-species degraders, advancing the development of biological solutions for hard-to-recycle plastic waste.
Biodegradation of macro- and micro-plastics in environment: A review on mechanism, toxicity, and future perspectives.
This review examined mechanisms, toxicology, and future perspectives for biodegradation of macro- and micro-plastics, cataloguing microbial species capable of polymer degradation, discussing enzymatic pathways, and identifying key limitations including slow degradation rates and the need for pretreatment to accelerate breakdown in environmental settings.
A community of marine bacteria with potential to biodegrade petroleum-based and biobased microplastics
Researchers showed that a consortium of marine bacteria could partially biodegrade both conventional low-density polyethylene and biobased polyethylene terephthalate microplastic films over 45 days, with spectroscopic and chemical evidence confirming surface changes and early-stage degradation.
Microbial plastic degradation: enzymes, pathways, challenges, and perspectives.
This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbial plastic degradation, covering the enzymes and metabolic pathways involved in breaking down major synthetic polymers, the challenges limiting efficient biodegradation, and perspectives for engineering improved microbial solutions to plastic waste.
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.
Biodegradation of Microplastic: A Sustainable Approach
This review examines biological approaches to microplastic degradation, covering microorganisms and enzymes capable of breaking down common plastic polymers such as PET and polyethylene. Biodegradation could offer a sustainable path to reducing microplastic accumulation in soil, water, and marine environments.