Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste
In the mid-twentieth century, the solid waste generated was mostly made of biodegradable materials. However, the invention of plastic and its widespread use have led to a staggering accumulation of plastic in the environment, posing a severe threat to the biosphere. The environmental degradation of...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | María Elena Báez-Flores Martín Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández Martina Hilda Gracia-Valenzuela Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas |
| author_facet | María Elena Báez-Flores Martín Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández Martina Hilda Gracia-Valenzuela Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas |
| author_sort | María Elena Báez-Flores |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the mid-twentieth century, the solid waste generated was mostly made of biodegradable materials. However, the invention of plastic and its widespread use have led to a staggering accumulation of plastic in the environment, posing a severe threat to the biosphere. The environmental degradation of plastic can take thousands of years and poses a significant concern for environmental and human health. Until recently, it was thought that some plastics were non-biodegradable; however, there are microorganisms capable of degrading both plastics derived from fossil resources and those from biomass or renewable resources. This review aims to highlight the impact of plastic waste on the environment and the biosphere, as well as the great taxonomic diversity of microorganisms potentially linked to plastic degradation. Research in plastic biodegradability includes the identification of bacteria, fungi, archaea, and algae from virtually any environment: soil, atmosphere, landfills, freshwater, seawater, marine sediments, rumen, and waxworm guts. Identifying microbial consortia that degrade plastic and improving their degrading activity could shorten the plastic degradation time and reduce its uncontrolled accumulation around the globe. Research in this field is vital for advancing biodegradable plastics and elucidating the potential and limitations of microbial degradation as a large-scale approach to plastic pollution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0382846c24754ec8be6cc3a9f9f484ba |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-0382846c24754ec8be6cc3a9f9f484ba2025-08-20T02:21:10ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-05-01136124610.3390/microorganisms13061246Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic WasteMaría Elena Báez-Flores0Martín Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández1Martina Hilda Gracia-Valenzuela2Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas3Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Ciudad Universitaria, Av. de Las Américas Esq. Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez S/N, Culiacán CP 80013, MexicoCoordinación de Tecnología en Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Asociación Civil, Carretera Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas No. 46, Col. La Victoria, Hermosillo CP 83304, MexicoInstituto Tecnológico del Valle del Yaqui, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Av. Tecnológico, Block 611, Bácum CP 82276, MexicoCoordinación de Tecnología en Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Asociación Civil, Carretera Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas No. 46, Col. La Victoria, Hermosillo CP 83304, MexicoIn the mid-twentieth century, the solid waste generated was mostly made of biodegradable materials. However, the invention of plastic and its widespread use have led to a staggering accumulation of plastic in the environment, posing a severe threat to the biosphere. The environmental degradation of plastic can take thousands of years and poses a significant concern for environmental and human health. Until recently, it was thought that some plastics were non-biodegradable; however, there are microorganisms capable of degrading both plastics derived from fossil resources and those from biomass or renewable resources. This review aims to highlight the impact of plastic waste on the environment and the biosphere, as well as the great taxonomic diversity of microorganisms potentially linked to plastic degradation. Research in plastic biodegradability includes the identification of bacteria, fungi, archaea, and algae from virtually any environment: soil, atmosphere, landfills, freshwater, seawater, marine sediments, rumen, and waxworm guts. Identifying microbial consortia that degrade plastic and improving their degrading activity could shorten the plastic degradation time and reduce its uncontrolled accumulation around the globe. Research in this field is vital for advancing biodegradable plastics and elucidating the potential and limitations of microbial degradation as a large-scale approach to plastic pollution.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1246plastic contaminationplastic degrading microorganismsplastic biodegradationbacterial bioplasticssustainability |
| spellingShingle | María Elena Báez-Flores Martín Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández Martina Hilda Gracia-Valenzuela Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste Microorganisms plastic contamination plastic degrading microorganisms plastic biodegradation bacterial bioplastics sustainability |
| title | Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste |
| title_full | Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste |
| title_fullStr | Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste |
| title_short | Biosphere Plastic Contamination and Microbial Alternatives for a Sustainable Degradation of Plastic Waste |
| title_sort | biosphere plastic contamination and microbial alternatives for a sustainable degradation of plastic waste |
| topic | plastic contamination plastic degrading microorganisms plastic biodegradation bacterial bioplastics sustainability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1246 |
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