Papers

61,005 results
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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

Solving the plastic dilemma: the fungal and bacterial biodegradability of polyurethanes

This review examined the biodegradability of polyurethane by fungi and bacteria, identifying promising microbial species and enzymes capable of breaking down this widely used but environmentally persistent plastic polymer.

2023 World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Breakthrough in polyurethane bio-recycling: An efficient laccase-mediated system for the degradation of different types of polyurethanes

A laccase-mediated enzymatic system efficiently degraded multiple types of polyurethane plastics in aqueous solution at mild conditions, breaking polymer chains and reducing molecular weight within days, offering a green biotechnology approach to managing polyurethane waste that conventional recycling and chemical degradation struggle to address.

2021 Waste Management 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid biodegradation of microplastics generated from bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane

Researchers created microplastic particles from a plant-based, biodegradable plastic (thermoplastic polyurethane) and showed that bacteria could break them down rapidly, using the plastic as their sole food source. They also demonstrated that products made from this material, including coated fabric and a phone case, visibly degraded when exposed to soil bacteria. This work suggests that switching to biodegradable plastics could help reduce the buildup of persistent microplastics in the environment.

2024 Scientific Reports 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial and Enzymatic Biodegradation of Polyurethane: From Depolymerization to Monomer Valorization

A review covered microbial and enzymatic degradation of polyurethane, summarizing the microorganisms and enzymes capable of breaking down this widely used plastic. Identifying effective biodegradation pathways is key to developing biological solutions for polyurethane waste management.

2025 Biotechnology Journal 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic degradation by a novel PGPR Bacillus spizizenii

Researchers discovered that a beneficial soil bacterium, Bacillus spizizenii, can break down polystyrene microplastics with nearly 86% efficiency over 30 days. Chemical analysis confirmed that the bacteria significantly altered the plastic's molecular structure, and microscopy showed visible surface degradation. The finding suggests that naturally occurring soil bacteria could potentially be harnessed as a biological tool for reducing microplastic pollution.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Biodegradation of Synthetic Polyethylene and Polyurethane Polymers by Pedospheric Microbes: Towards Sustainable Environmental Management

Researchers isolated fungi and bacteria from dumpsite soils and tested their ability to break down polyethylene and polyurethane plastics. They found that several microbial species showed notable biodegradation potential under laboratory conditions. The study suggests that soil microorganisms naturally adapted to waste environments could offer a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach to managing synthetic plastic pollution.

2025 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation, Screening and Characterization of Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Soil for PWM

Scientists isolated bacteria from soil near garbage sites and identified strains capable of degrading plastic materials, with scanning electron microscopy revealing physical damage — holes and cracks — to plastic surfaces after bacterial exposure within 30 days. The study contributes to the search for soil microbes that could be harnessed for biological plastic waste management. Biodegradation by indigenous soil bacteria could offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to landfilling or incineration of plastic waste.

2026 Current World Environment
Article Tier 2

Phenotypic and Genomic Characterization of Polyethylene-Degrading Bacillus cereus PE-1 Enriched from Landfill Microbial Consortium

Scientists found a bacteria called Bacillus cereus PE-1 in landfill soil that can actually eat and break down plastic bags and containers (polyethylene). The bacteria damaged the plastic's surface and reduced its weight by about 5% in just 30 days, suggesting it could potentially help clean up plastic pollution in the environment. While this research is still early and needs more testing, it offers hope for using natural bacteria to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste that threatens our ecosystems and food chain.

2026 Polymers
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

The Biodegradation of Polystyrene by Soil Bacteria

Researchers investigated whether soil bacteria could biodegrade polystyrene, a plastic historically considered highly resistant to natural degradation since studies dating to the 1970s first examined its environmental persistence. They found evidence that certain soil bacterial communities can break down polystyrene, suggesting a potential biological pathway for remediating this persistent plastic pollutant in terrestrial and marine environments.

2024 Deep Blue (University of Michigan)
Article Tier 2

Aplicação de microrganismos lipolíticos em alimentos e na biodegradação de poliuretanos

This Brazilian study reviewed the application of lipolytic microorganisms and their enzymes in food processing and in the biodegradation of polyurethane plastics. Lipase enzymes from microbes show potential for breaking down plastic materials including polyurethane foam that otherwise persists as microplastic fragments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Examining and identifying bacteria-mediated polyethylene terephthalate bottle waste degradation Byprops

Researchers isolated Bacillus subtilis from PET plastic waste dump sites and demonstrated that the bacterium can degrade polyethylene terephthalate microplastics over six months, with UV-pretreated PET showing the most pronounced changes including new alkyl aryl ether and alkene groups detected by FTIR and GC-MS. The findings suggest soil bacteria could offer a biodegradable solution for eliminating PET from plastic-contaminated sites.

2025 International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Newly Discovered Polyester Polyurethane-degrading Methylobacterium Aquaticum Strain A1

Researchers characterized Methylobacterium aquaticum A1, a newly isolated strain capable of adhering to and degrading polyester polyurethane (PE-PUR), confirmed by SEM and FTIR analysis. Genomic analysis identified candidate degradation enzymes including esterases, lipases, proteases, and amidase, and esterase activity assays showed inducible enzymatic activity when the strain was exposed to polyurethane diol, highlighting its potential as a plastic-biodegrading biocatalyst.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics employing the actinobacterial strain Streptomyces gobitricini

Researchers isolated a soil bacterium called Streptomyces gobitricini and tested its ability to break down PVC microplastics over 90 days. The bacterium achieved up to 66 percent weight reduction of the PVC particles and formed biofilms on the plastic surfaces. The study suggests that naturally occurring soil bacteria could potentially be harnessed for bioremediation of one of the most persistent and hazardous types of plastic waste.

2025 Biodegradation 11 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Chemical and Process Engineering New Frontiers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyurethane biodegradation by Serratia sp. HY-72 isolated from the intestine of the Asian mantis Hierodula patellifera

Researchers isolated a bacterium, Serratia sp. HY-72, from the gut of an Asian mantis and identified a lipase enzyme capable of breaking down polyurethane plastic, demonstrating that insect-associated microbes could offer a promising biological approach to plastic degradation.

2022 Frontiers in Microbiology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine bacteria capable of enzymatic degrading of low- and high-density polyethylene: Toward sustainable mitigation of marine microplastic pollution

Scientists discovered ocean bacteria that can break down common plastic types found in marine pollution, with some bacteria destroying up to 17% of the plastic in lab tests. These naturally occurring bacteria could potentially be used to help clean up the tiny plastic particles that contaminate our oceans and eventually enter our food chain through seafood. While still in early research stages, this finding offers hope for a biological solution to reduce the microplastics that may pose health risks when we consume contaminated fish and shellfish.

2026 Journal of Ecological Engineering
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Plastics: The role of biosurfactant-producing bacteria in environmental remediation

This review examined the role of biosurfactant-producing bacteria in plastic biodegradation, finding that biosurfactants enhance bioavailability of hydrophobic polyethylene and polypropylene surfaces, potentially accelerating microbial degradation—offering a promising biotechnological strategy for environmental plastic pollution remediation.

2025 Journal of Advances in Microbiology Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Ability of fungi isolated from plastic debris floating in the shoreline of a lake to degrade plastics

Researchers isolated over 100 fungal strains from plastic debris floating in a Swiss lake and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene and polyurethane, finding that none could degrade polyethylene but four species degraded polyurethane. The results highlight the limited capacity of naturally occurring plastic-colonizing fungi to break down the most abundant plastic polymers in the environment.

2018 PLoS ONE 166 citations
Article Tier 2

Discovery and Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Polyesterase for the Degradation of Synthetic Plastics

Researchers used bioinformatics to discover a new enzyme from soil bacteria capable of breaking down synthetic plastics like PET and polyurethane. The enzyme was successfully expressed and characterized in the lab, offering a promising lead for developing biological plastic recycling approaches.

2020 3 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

Characterization of plastic degrading bacteria isolated from sewage wastewater

Researchers isolated bacteria from sewage wastewater that can degrade plastic, with two Pseudomonas strains achieving 25% weight loss of plastic pieces over 120 days. Chemical analysis confirmed the bacteria were breaking down and transforming the plastic polymer bonds. These plastic-eating bacteria could offer a green biotechnology approach to reducing microplastic pollution in wastewater systems.

2023 Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of polyethylene with polyethylene-group-degrading enzyme delivered by the engineered Bacillus velezensis

Researchers engineered a strain of the soil bacterium Bacillus velezensis to produce enzymes that break down polyethylene, the most common type of microplastic found in vegetable-growing soils. The engineered bacteria degraded about 23 percent of polyethylene microplastics over 20 days in laboratory tests. The study introduces a promising bioengineering approach to tackling the widespread problem of plastic pollution in agricultural soils.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations