All Plastic degradation articles
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NewsA microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic
Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture resistant and highly biodegradable even in sea water.
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NewsLifetime of ‘biodegradable’ straws in the ocean is 8-20 months, study finds
Researchers found that some commercial bioplastic or paper straws might disintegrate within eight to 20 months in coastal ocean systems and switching to foam makes a major difference.
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Long ReadsMethanotrophs: an emerging biotechnological workhorse in the bioproduction industry
Methane-consuming bacteria turn waste greenhouse gases into useful products. A win-win situation?
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NewsResearch reveals how Halopseudomonas devours polyester urethane
Researchers have shown how bacteria of the genus Halopseudomonas break down common plastic coatings made of polyester urethane, underlying the relevance of the newly isolated bacterium for the biodegradation of plastics.
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NewsThreats and resources found in colonies of bacteria and fungi on ocean plastic trash
Scientists have found both potential threats and promising resources in the thriving colonies of bacteria and fungi on plastic trash washed up on Singapore shores.
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![Pioneer Awards - Emmanuel Ladent, Carbios, and Jacques Playe, L'Oreal[88]](https://d3rmrttq0bsnxi.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/7/4/8/4748_pioneerawardsemmanuelladentcarbiosandjacquesplayeloreal88_710603.jpg)
NewsCarbios and L’Oréal win Pioneer Award for world’s first enzymatically recycled cosmetic bottle
The Solar Impulse Foundation has recognised Carbios’ breakthrough innovation and its adoption in 2021 by L’Oréal with the world’s first fully enzymatically recycled plastic cosmetic bottle.
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NewsZooplankton in ocean and freshwater rapidly escalating the global threat of plastics
Rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking them down into even smaller, and potentially more dangerous, nanoplastics. Each rotifer can create between 348,000 and 366,000 per day.
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NewsMarine bacteria take a bite at plastic pollution
A bacterium found in the sea can degrade a plastic that otherwise resists microbial breakdown in marine environments.
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NewsVacuum cleaner-effect in fungi can hold nanoplastics at bay
Researchers have found that while nanoplastics reduce both bacterial and fungal growth, the fungus actually manages to ’clean up’ their surroundings, thereby easing the effect of the plastics.
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NewsGenetically modified bacteria break down plastics in saltwater
Researchers have genetically engineered a marine microorganism to break down plastic in salt water - specifically, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic used in everything from water bottles to clothing.
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OpinionEmerging risks in public health: is plastic pollution something to worry about?
Could plastic waste act as a vector for pathogens and contribute to the spread of infectious diseases?
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NewsWaste colonies yield bacterium with 3 enzymes that may break down polyester
Scientists have enriched expanded polystyrene waste from a beach in Ireland to isolate a bacterium which proved to contain three enzymes that could break down polyester.
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NewsSoil microplastics could usher superbugs into food supply
Micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soil could contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria with a ready route into our food supply, a new study warns.
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FeaturesLessons learned from microbes that stick to plastic
Lower density plastics tend to float or remain in the upper 30 meters of aquatic environments, interacting with biota in ways still being deciphered.
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NewsPeat bog microbes could be deployed to break down plastic pollution
Microbes discovered in a peat bog could be used to break down plastic pollution, research being carried out at Queen’s University Belfast has revealed.
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NewsResearchers uncover how PETases go about recovering monomers
A new study has revealed the details, at the molecular level, of the PET degradation process by polyester hydrolases - aka PETases.
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NewsIcy microbes digest plastic at low temperatures
Scientists have found microbes that can digest plastics at low temperatures, potentially saving money and energy.
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NewsTwo fungal strains make meal of hard-to-recycle plastic
Two common strains of fungi have been used to successfully biodegrade polypropylene in a laboratory experiment.
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![PET depolymerization reactor - CrÇdit photo Carbios[2][15]](https://d3rmrttq0bsnxi.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/6/5/8/1658_petdepolymerizationreactorcrcditphotocarbios215_545583.jpg)
NewsFashion company joins fibre-to-fibre consortium founded by Carbios, On, Patagonia, PUMA and Salomon
Carbios, a pioneer of biological technologies for reinventing the life cycle of plastics and textiles, has signed an agreement with fashion company PVH Corp to join its fibre-to-fibre consortium founded with On, Patagonia, PUMA, and Salomon1.
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NewsScientists discover how plastic-eating bacteria digest complex carbons
Researchers have deciphered the metabolic mechanisms that enable the bacterium Comamonas testosteroni to digest complex wasste from plants and plastics, potentially leading to novel biotechnology platforms that harness the microbe to help recycle plastic waste.
