Prospects for microbiological solutions to environmental pollution with plastics

Abstract

Synthetic polymers, commonly named plastics, are among the most widespread anthropogenic pollutants of marine, limnic and terrestrial ecosystems. Disruptive effects of plastics are known to threaten wildlife and exert effects on natural food webs, but signs for and knowledge on plastic biodegradation are limited. Microorganisms are the most promising candidates for an eventual bioremediation of environmental plastics. Laboratory studies have reported various effects of microorganisms on many types of polymers, usually by enzymatic hydrolysis or oxidation. However, most common plastics have proved to be highly recalcitrant even under conditions known to favour microbial degradation. Knowledge on environmental degradation is yet scarcer. With this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on microbiological degradation of several of the most common plastic types. Furthermore, we illustrate the analytical challenges concerning the evaluation of plastic biodegradation as well as constraints likely standing against the evolution of effective biodegradation pathways.

Microplastics alter composition of fungal communities in aquatic ecosystems

“…We hypothesized that fungi are frequent members of MP‐attached communities, occurring preferentially on solid substrates compared to living freely in the surrounding water. As numerous fungal species are capable of degrading wood, but only very few might be able to use plastic polymers as an energy source (Krueger et al ., ), we expected to see a clear preference of certain fungi towards wood, resulting in a comparably higher fungal abundance on wood and a distinction between MP and wood‐associated communities. Lastly, we hypothesized that also location significantly alters fungal community composition, allowing to determine location‐specific fungal OTUs.…”

“…Investigations of the functional roles of these lineages have recently led to fundamental revisions in the concept of aquatic food web structures, emphasizing their profound relevance in aquatic ecosystems (Kagami et al ., ; Grossart and Rojas‐Jimenez, ). In addition, fungi are of special interest for potential plastic decomposition in the environment, due to their vast metabolic potential and ability to degrade recalcitrant structures (Krueger et al ., ; Grossart and Rojas‐Jimenez, ). However, to date, a single study has reported on the presence of fungi on plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), but insights into fungal diversity and their ecological meaning remained peripheral (Oberbeckmann et al ., ).…”

Microplastic-Associated Biofilms: A Comparison of Freshwater and Marine Environments

“…In comparison with biopolymers, traditional plastics (such as PE, PET, and PP) will persist for even longer within aquatic environments (decades or centuries; [11,63,64]), with biodegradation typically preceded by abiotic weathering [24,65]. Although it has been unclear whether plastisphere members can biodegrade conventional plastics [11,69,70], a bacterial strain isolated from sediment near a Japanese bottle recycling facility (Ideonella sakaiensis) was recently found to assimilate PET [18].…”

Textile waste and microplastic induce activity and development of unique hydrocarbon-degrading marine bacterial communities

“…Bioremediation of plastic pollution can be aided by heterotrophic bacteria 8 . These microorganisms may survive by extracting the carbon from plastic particles, via hydrolysis of the hydrocarbon polymer 7,8 .…”