Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Applications of Marine-Derived Microorganisms and Their Enzymes in Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, the Underexplored Potentials

This review examines marine-derived microorganisms and their enzymes as sources of novel biocatalysts for industrial biotransformation, covering whole-cell processes and isolated enzymes from marine bacteria and fungi capable of performing oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and other organic synthesis reactions under extreme conditions.

2019 Frontiers in Microbiology 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbes as Biocatalysts of Marine Micropollutants

This review examines how marine microorganisms can serve as biocatalysts to break down micropollutants including industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics in ocean environments. The study highlights advances in synthetic biology and genomics that are improving microbial efficiency for targeted bioremediation, while noting the need for cooperation among scientists, policymakers, and industry to address implementation challenges.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting of Marine Bacteria for their Diversity and Biotechnological Application

This review examines the diversity and biotechnological potential of marine bacteria, covering their unique metabolic pathways adapted to extreme conditions, and discusses applications in enzyme discovery, bioactive compound isolation, bioremediation, and healthcare supported by advances in omics technologies and genetic engineering.

2022 Open Access Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine-derived fungi as biocatalysts

This review examines marine-derived fungi as catalysts for biotransformations, highlighting their ability to produce enzymes adapted to extreme marine conditions that have applications in producing high-value compounds relevant to pharmaceutical and environmental remediation industries.

2023 Frontiers in Microbiology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Discovering untapped microbial communities through metagenomics for microplastic remediation: recent advances, challenges, and way forward

This review explores how metagenomic approaches are uncovering microbial communities capable of degrading microplastics in various environments. Researchers found that diverse bacteria and fungi in soil, water, and waste systems produce enzymes that can break down plastic polymers, though degradation rates remain slow. The study highlights metagenomics as a powerful tool for discovering new biological solutions to microplastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 54 citations
Article Tier 2

The Essentials of Marine Biotechnology

This comprehensive article reviews the field of marine biotechnology, which harnesses ocean organisms for applications in medicine, food, cosmetics, agriculture, and energy. Researchers describe the enormous diversity of marine life, from microorganisms to deep-sea species, and the promising biomolecules they produce. The study outlines both the opportunities and the environmental responsibilities involved in developing products inspired by or derived from marine resources.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 195 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Technologies for the Discovery of Novel Diversity in Cyanobacteria and Algae and the Elucidation of Their Valuable Metabolites

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews emerging biotechnology and omics methods for discovering new cyanobacteria and microalgae species and characterizing their bioactive metabolites for industrial applications.

2023 Diversity 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial degradation of contaminants of emerging concern: metabolic, genetic and omics insights for enhanced bioremediation

This review covers how microorganisms have evolved the ability to break down emerging pollutants including plasticizers, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides, turning them into less harmful substances. Understanding the genes, enzymes, and metabolic pathways these microbes use could lead to cost-effective, eco-friendly cleanup methods for removing persistent contaminants -- including plastic-derived chemicals -- from the environment before they reach people.

2024 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting for polyesterase activity relevant for PET degradation in marine Enterobacterales isolates

Researchers screened marine Enterobacterales isolates for polyesterase activity capable of degrading PET plastic, identifying bacterial strains from marine environments as candidates for bioremediation strategies targeting one of the world's most problematic plastic pollutants.

2023 AIMS Microbiology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of microplastic degradation: Understanding metagenomic approaches for microplastic degrading organisms

This review explores how metagenomics, the study of genetic material from environmental samples, is helping scientists identify microorganisms that can break down plastics. The paper covers the methods used to find and characterize plastic-degrading bacteria, as well as the environmental consequences of plastic degradation including health risks from inhaling and ingesting microplastics. While biological solutions to plastic pollution show promise, the review notes that more research is needed to develop effective, scalable approaches.

2023 Polymer Testing 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Bacteria for Bioremediation of Polluted Marine Environments: A Blue Revolution Approach

This review explored how marine bacteria can be harnessed to bioremediate polluted ocean environments contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and microplastics. The authors found that marine bacteria offer cost-effective and ecologically compatible remediation potential but that practical deployment at scale remains a major challenge.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Marine Bacteria for Bioremediation of Polluted Marine Environments: A Blue Revolution Approach

This review explored how marine bacteria can be harnessed to bioremediate polluted ocean environments contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and microplastics. The authors found that marine bacteria offer cost-effective and ecologically compatible remediation potential but that practical deployment at scale remains a major challenge.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Novel biocatalyst for sustainable plastic removal

Scientists identified and characterized a naturally occurring enzyme (LipMRD9, discovered via metagenomic mining) that can break down PET plastic—the polymer used in bottles and clothing—under mild conditions. Enzyme-based biodegradation is a promising strategy for tackling plastic pollution at scale without generating toxic byproducts. Finding new PET-degrading enzymes in environmental microbiomes broadens the toolkit available for bioremediation of plastic waste before it fragments into microplastics.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microbial enzyme power: Breaking down microplastics for a cleaner planet

This review examines how microbial enzymes produced by bacteria, fungi, and algae can break down and degrade microplastic polymers. The study suggests that enzymatic biodegradation represents a promising and more sustainable alternative to conventional microplastic removal methods, though further research is needed to improve enzyme efficiency and scalability.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

Review on plastic wastes in marine environment – Biodegradation and biotechnological solutions

Researchers reviewed plastic biodegradation in the marine environment, cataloguing microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces and the enzymes they produce, while highlighting biotechnological strategies — including enzyme engineering and biofilm optimization — as necessary complements to physical and chemical approaches for reducing micro- and nanoplastic contamination.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 390 citations
Article Tier 2

Shotgun Metagenomic insights into the Plastisphere microbiome: Unveiling potential for clinical and industrial enzymes production along with plastic degradation

Researchers used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyze microbial communities (plastisphere) colonizing plastic debris in soil and aquatic environments, finding that 54% of bacteria had plastic-degrading potential and that the plastisphere also harbored clinically relevant and industrially useful enzymes. The findings suggest the plastisphere is a reservoir of both plastic-degrading and biotechnologically valuable microorganisms.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent trends in bioremediation and bioaugmentation strategies for mitigation of marine based pollutants: current perspectives and future outlook

This review evaluates recent advances in bioremediation and bioaugmentation strategies for addressing marine pollution from microplastics, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and pesticides. Researchers highlight progress in developing tailored microbial consortia, genetically engineered degradation agents, and nano-enabled remediation approaches informed by omics tools. The study notes that while significant advances have been made, scaling these biological approaches to handle complex pollutant mixtures in real ocean conditions remains a major challenge.

2024 Discover Sustainability 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Cutinolytic Esterase from Microplastic-Associated Microbiota Using Functional Metagenomics and Its Plastic Degrading Potential

Researchers used functional metagenomics to discover a new enzyme from bacteria living on microplastic surfaces that can break down certain types of plastic. The enzyme, a cutinolytic esterase, showed strong activity against synthetic polyester materials and could degrade polycaprolactone film. The findings suggest that microplastic-associated microbial communities are a promising source of novel plastic-degrading enzymes.

2023 Molecular Biotechnology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental impact and mitigation of micro(nano)plastics pollution using green catalytic tools and green analytical methods

Researchers reviewed the growing problem of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment, then assessed enzyme-based strategies for breaking them down, finding that enzymes specifically targeting plastic polymer structures offer a promising, sustainable approach to degradation, especially when stabilized on nanomaterials to extend their activity.

2022 Green Analytical Chemistry 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum‐based plastics: how far are we?

This review examines the progress in identifying microbial enzymes capable of breaking down petroleum-based plastics like polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, and PET. Researchers highlight recent advances in using polyester-degrading enzymes to recover raw materials from PET waste through biocatalytic recycling. The study discusses the potential and remaining challenges of using biological approaches to address the growing global problem of plastic waste accumulation.

2017 Microbial Biotechnology 788 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Environmental Plastic Pollution: Mitigation by Microorganism Degradation and Recycling Valorization

This review examines how microorganisms can degrade marine plastic pollution through enzymatic processes and how recycling technologies can recover value from plastic waste. Researchers surveyed various microbial species capable of breaking down common plastics and assessed the effectiveness of different recycling approaches. The study suggests that combining biological degradation with improved recycling infrastructure could help address the growing crisis of ocean plastic pollution.

2020 Frontiers in Marine Science 222 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of green microbiology for microplastic remediation: Current progress and future perspectives

This review explores how microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, can be harnessed to break down microplastic pollution through environmentally friendly biodegradation approaches. Researchers summarized current progress in identifying plastic-degrading microbes and the enzymes they use. The study highlights the promise of green microbiology as a sustainable strategy for tackling microplastic contamination, while noting that significant technical challenges remain.

2024 Environmental Advances 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Production and characterisation of a marine Halomonas surface-active exopolymer

Researchers isolated a marine bacterium called Halomonas that produces a natural emulsifying compound capable of breaking down a wide range of oils and hydrocarbons, and found this compound also helped other bacteria degrade pollutants, making it a promising tool for cleaning up oil-contaminated marine environments without synthetic chemicals.

2019 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 25 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of ecogenomics in environmental and forensic discoveries

This review examines ecogenomics as an integrative tool for understanding microbial diversity and function in environmental and forensic contexts, covering applications from pollution assessment to criminal investigation using environmental DNA.

2024 Bio Research Journal/Bio- Research 1 citations