Sustainable Microbial Approaches for Plastic Biodegradation: Impact on Human Health, Research Advancements, and Challenges

Abstract

The relentless accumulation of plastic waste poses a significant environmental and public health challenge, necessitating sustainable and innovative management strategies. Microbial biodegradation offers a promising avenue, harnessing the metabolic potential of microorganisms and their enzymes to degrade synthetic polymers into environmentally benign by-products. This review explores recent advancements in microbial approaches to plastic biodegradation, emphasizing mechanisms employed by native and engineered microbial strains to tackle persistent plastics such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Key developments in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and bioinformatics have significantly improved microbial degradation efficiency, enabling integration into hybrid waste management systems. However, critical challenges remain, including scaling up processes for industrial applications, optimizing degradation rates, and ensuring the environmental safety of biodegradation by-products. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of these barriers and examines the transformative potential of microbial biodegradation in aligning plastic waste management with circular economy principles. This approach mitigates environmental pollution, promotes human health, and advances global sustainability objectives by converting waste into value-added products.