Microbially driven microplastic degradation: From mining functional microbiota to enhancing remediation potential in...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Bioremediation

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution is a critical global environmental and health issue.
• Conventional remediation methods are often costly, inefficient, and cause secondary pollution.
• Microbial degradation presents a promising, eco-friendly alternative, but requires systematic study across environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and consolidate knowledge on microplastic-degrading microorganisms (MPDMs).
• To systematically compare MPDM capabilities across different environmental niches (soil, marine, freshwater, animal gut).
• To identify high-potential MPDMs and propose strategies for enhancing their practical application in bioremediation.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of 78 studies focusing on MPDMs.
• Compilation and analysis of 197 identified microorganisms/taxa.
• Comparative assessment of degradation efficiencies across four distinct environmental settings.

Main Results:

• 197 MPDMs were identified from soil, marine, freshwater, and animal gut environments.
• Degradation efficiency varied by environment, with soil and freshwater showing higher average efficiencies.
• Specific high-potential strains (e.g., Bacillus, Rhodococcus) and consortia were identified.

Conclusions:

• Microbial degradation is a viable strategy for microplastic remediation.
• This review provides a resource pool of MPDMs and their efficiencies, guiding targeted bioremediation efforts.
• Future research should focus on enhancing MPDM application through strain improvement and synthetic biology for field deployment.