Can polymer-degrading microorganisms solve the bottleneck of plastics' environmental challenges?

Increasing world population and industrial activities have enhanced anthropogenic pollution, plastic pollution being especially alarming. So, plastics should be recycled and/or make them biodegradable. Chemical and physical remediating methods are usually energy consuming and costly. In addition, they are not ecofriendly and usually produce toxic byproducts. Bioremediation is a proper option as it is cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. Plastic production and consumption are increasing daily, and, as a consequence, more microorganisms are exposed to these nonbiodegradable polymers. Therefore, investigating new efficient microorganisms and increasing the knowledge about their biology can pave the way for efficient and feasible plastic bioremediation processes. In this sense, omics, systems biology and bioinformatics are three important fields to analyze the biodegradation pathways in microorganisms. Based on the above-mentioned technologies, researchers can engineer microorganisms with specific desired properties to make bioremediation more efficient.

Automated summary

The increasing world population and industrial activities have led to a rise in anthropogenic pollution, with plastic pollution being particularly concerning. Recycling and biodegradation of plastics are necessary steps to address this issue. While chemical and physical remediation methods are costly and environmentally unfriendly, bioremediation offers a cost-efficient and eco-friendly alternative. As plastic production and consumption continue to increase, it is crucial to explore efficient microorganisms and enhance knowledge about their biology to develop effective plastic bioremediation processes. Omics, systems biology, and bioinformatics play key roles in analyzing biodegradation pathways in microorganisms, ultimately enabling the engineering of microorganisms with desired properties for more efficient bioremediation.