1
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_1
Chapter 1
Microbial Degradation of Plastics and Its
Biotechnological Advancement
Alka Kumari, Doongar R. Chaudhary, and Bhavanath Jha
Contents
1.1 Introduction
2
1.2 Plastic Properties and Its Types
3
1.3 Plastic Waste Threats to Well-being
6
1.4 Biodegradation and Natural Cycling of Plastic Waste
7
1.5 Mechanism of Plastic Biodegradation
15
1.6 Standards of Biodegradation Testing Methods
17
1.7 Biodegradable Polymers
18
1.8 Recent Drifts in Microbial Degradation Research
21
1.9 Conclusion
22
References
23
Abstract Plastic waste is building up in the environment with an alarming rate.
Conventionally, plastic waste is dumped in landfills, incinerated, or recycled; these
methods release another form of toxic chemicals and plasticizers like furans, bisphenol A, phthalate, and vinyl chloride in the environment. Nature itself recuperates
and maintains sustainable conditions to some extent although it is extremely slow.
Exploring the microbes from the environment and enhancing their plastic degradation capability through advanced biotechnological tools would provide an ecofriendly solution. This chapter focused on recent reports on plastic biodegradation
emphases on preceding dogmas of plastic hazard and the understanding of standard
evaluation methods along with their biogeochemistry in the environment by the
microorganisms.
Keywords Biodegradation · Biogeochemical process · Enzymes · Genomics ·
Microbial degradation · Metabolomics · Plastic
A. Kumari · D. R. Chaudhary (*) · B. Jha
Biotechnology and Phycology Division, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals
Research Institute, Bhavnagar, India
e-mail: drchaudhary@csmcri.res.in
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_1
Chapter 1
Microbial Degradation of Plastics and Its
Biotechnological Advancement
Alka Kumari, Doongar R. Chaudhary, and Bhavanath Jha
Contents
1.1 Introduction
2
1.2 Plastic Properties and Its Types
3
1.3 Plastic Waste Threats to Well-being
6
1.4 Biodegradation and Natural Cycling of Plastic Waste
7
1.5 Mechanism of Plastic Biodegradation
15
1.6 Standards of Biodegradation Testing Methods
17
1.7 Biodegradable Polymers
18
1.8 Recent Drifts in Microbial Degradation Research
21
1.9 Conclusion
22
References
23
Abstract Plastic waste is building up in the environment with an alarming rate.
Conventionally, plastic waste is dumped in landfills, incinerated, or recycled; these
methods release another form of toxic chemicals and plasticizers like furans, bisphenol A, phthalate, and vinyl chloride in the environment. Nature itself recuperates
and maintains sustainable conditions to some extent although it is extremely slow.
Exploring the microbes from the environment and enhancing their plastic degradation capability through advanced biotechnological tools would provide an ecofriendly solution. This chapter focused on recent reports on plastic biodegradation
emphases on preceding dogmas of plastic hazard and the understanding of standard
evaluation methods along with their biogeochemistry in the environment by the
microorganisms.
Keywords Biodegradation · Biogeochemical process · Enzymes · Genomics ·
Microbial degradation · Metabolomics · Plastic
A. Kumari · D. R. Chaudhary (*) · B. Jha
Biotechnology and Phycology Division, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals
Research Institute, Bhavnagar, India
e-mail: drchaudhary@csmcri.res.in