Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

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

Polyurethane degradation by extracellular urethanase producing bacterial isolate Moraxella catarrhalis strain BMPPS3.

A soil bacterium, Moraxella catarrhalis strain BMPPS3, was found capable of degrading polyurethane plastic, achieving 67% weight reduction in 30 days. The discovery of naturally occurring bacteria that break down plastics offers potential for biological remediation of polyurethane waste, which is widely used in construction, furniture, and automotive applications.

2024 Environmental research
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

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

Recent Advancements and Mechanism of Plastics Biodegradation Promoted by Bacteria: A Key for Sustainable Remediation for Plastic Wastes

This review highlights recent discoveries of microbial enzymes capable of degrading various plastics, discussing bacterial biodegradation mechanisms as a sustainable remediation strategy for addressing accumulating plastic waste in landfills and water bodies.

2023 Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia 9 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

Toward sustainable plastic bioremediation using bacterial consortia from aquatic environments.

This study explored the biotechnological potential of native bacteria from diverse aquatic environments to biodegrade synthetic plastics and microplastics. Bacterial consortia isolated from contaminated sites showed promising plastic-degrading capabilities, pointing toward bioremediation strategies for plastic pollution.

2025 Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology
Article Tier 2

Microorganisms: Promising approach to quench plastic pollution

This review surveys the range of bacteria and fungi — including Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and several fungal phyla — that are capable of degrading plastics including polyethylene, the world's most produced plastic. Microbial biodegradation is presented as a promising complement to physical and chemical recycling methods, with the potential to address plastic pollution already dispersed in the environment. Harnessing these organisms could eventually provide biological tools to break down plastic waste that has entered soils, waterways, and the ocean.

2023 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
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

Assembly strategies for polyethylene-degrading microbial consortia based on the combination of omics tools and the "Plastisphere".

This review examines the microorganisms and enzymes capable of degrading polyethylene and discusses how combining genomic tools with studies of plastic-associated microbial communities could lead to more effective biodegradation strategies. The findings suggest that engineered microbial consortia guided by omics data hold promise for breaking down one of the world's most persistent plastics.

2023 Frontiers in microbiology
Article Tier 2

Microbial Isolates in Microplastic-Polluted Soil

Researchers isolated and characterized microbial communities from microplastic-polluted soil, identifying bacteria capable of colonizing plastic surfaces and assessing their potential roles in plastic degradation and soil nutrient cycling.

2024 African Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research
Article Tier 2

Microbes mediated plastic degradation: A sustainable approach for environmental sustainability

This review examines microbially mediated plastic degradation as a sustainable environmental cleanup strategy, surveying bacterial and fungal species capable of breaking down common polymers and discussing enzymatic pathways and factors limiting practical biodegradation rates.

2022 Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Introducing the LDPE degrading microbes of sedimentary systems: from dumpsite to laboratory

This study identified and characterized low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-degrading microbes from dumpsite sedimentary systems, isolating bacteria capable of utilizing LDPE as a carbon source—providing a starting point for developing biological solutions to plastic pollution remediation.

2025 Environmental Science Advances 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of Plastic Degrading Bacteria in Aquatic Environment

This review examines evidence for plastic-degrading bacteria in aquatic environments, summarizing identified microorganisms and their enzymatic mechanisms capable of breaking down plastic materials, and discussing the potential application of these organisms in bioremediation of plastic pollution.

2022 Journal of Biological and Allied Health Sciences
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Biotechnology Letters 1 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

Biodegradation of Expanded Polystyrene Using Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Vitark5

Researchers isolated a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria from plastic-contaminated soil and tested its ability to break down expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in lab conditions. The bacterium was able to grow using polystyrene as its sole carbon source, produced biosurfactants that helped it attach to plastic surfaces, and caused measurable weight loss in EPS samples. Microbial degradation of polystyrene is a promising approach to reducing one of the most persistent and environmentally harmful forms of plastic waste.

2025 Detritus 1 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
Review Tier 2

The plastic and microplastic waste menace and bacterial biodegradation for sustainable environmental clean-up a review

This review examined bacterial biodegradation of plastic and microplastic waste, covering key microbial species, enzymatic mechanisms, and biotechnological approaches being developed for sustainable environmental cleanup of plastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Research 42 citations
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

Breaking down the plastics paradox: polymer degrading microorganisms

This review examines microorganisms capable of degrading plastics, cataloging the bacteria and fungi discovered to break down common polymers like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET. Identifying and harnessing plastic-degrading microbes could provide biological solutions to the accumulation of microplastics in the environment.

2023 Bulgarian Chemical Communications