Plastic Degrading Microbes: A Review
B. Saritha *
Centre for Climate Change, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Sanakausar A. Sindgi
Centre for Climate Change, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
O. K. Remadevi
Centre for Climate Change, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Plastic accumulation is the vital cause of environmental pollution and is an ever-increasing ecological threat. The sustainable use of synthetic polymers is one of the major challenges of the twenty- first century. The conventional techniques employed to degrade plastic in the environment are inadequate as it releases harmful by-products. One of the solutions for reducing the plastic pollution is biodegradation of plastic by using microorganisms. In the present review, we have analysed the potential of plastic degrading microbes reported by different investigators.
Keywords: Plastic, biodegradation, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes