Microbes That Eat Plastic: Can Bacteria Help Solve the Pollution Crisis?

The Plastic Predicament

Humanity creates more than 400 million tons of plastic every year and much of it fills our oceans, landfills, and even our bodies in tiny microplastic pieces. Old methods of recycling are not effective and the fact that plastic degrades slowly has turned it into a modern environmental danger. But what if the solution was not more machines - but microbes?

Meet the Plastic-Eating Microbes?

In 2016, scientists caught the world's attention when they found Ideonella sakaiensis in a Japanese waste dump and realized it could break down PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastics. Not all of it was biodegradation; some biomass was transformed. The bacterium transformed the plastic into basic substances and used them for its nourishment. 

Afterwards, Pseudomonas, Bacillus subtilis, and even some types of fungi have indicated their ability to break down various plastics. It has been observed that some bacteria survive inside waxworms and mealworms, actually using plastic as food.

Synthetic Biology Steps In

There is no doubt that plastic-eating bacteria are interesting, but they are not efficient enough for industrial use. Synthetic biology comes in by engineering microbes to remove pollution and clean the environment. 

Based on gene editing, scientists have developed new strains that are more capable of breaking down plastic in many different places. For example,

• Strains of E. coli that have been boosted with enzymes for polyurethane breakdown
• Methods that use microorganisms to remove microplastics from wastewater
• Microbes that have been engineered to change plastic into biofuels

Because of these advancements, synthetic microbes can now help fight plastic pollution.

The Eco-Future: From Plastic Waste to Resource

Think about microbial colonies in landfills that help break down old plastic materials. Or oceans treated with microbial biofilms that target floating plastic islands. We are not quite there, but field trials are happening in labs located in different parts of U.S., Europe, and Asia. 

Companies are even exploring bioreactors filled with engineered bacteria that process plastic waste into harmless or even useful byproducts - such as biodegradable plastics or industrial chemicals.

Figure A: Plastic-Eating Microbes: Nature’s Hidden Recyclers [Image courtesy: ChatGPT]

Challenges to Address

Still, overcoming the issues with microbial plastic breakdown is not easy:

• Containment: They should not be able to leave their controlled environment
• Efficiency: Degradation should happen quickly so that the process can work in industry
• Selectivity: Half of the plastic waste produced continues to be ignored by known microbes
• Regulation: Proper regulation is important when allowing GMOs to be used outdoors

Why It Matters

Apart from making things look bad, plastic pollution is hazardous, stays for a long time and can be found anywhere. If we use bacteria to survive and clean the mess, we can completely change the way pollution works.

Even though microbes cannot be seen by the human eye, they may help us greatly in creating a healthier environment. 

Let's Start a Conversation

Have you ever thought microbes could help clean up our mess? Share your thoughts or give examples of microbial clean-up activities you're aware of in the comments. 

Share this post if you believe science and sustainability go hand-in-hand and let's make microbes our environmental allies. 

                                                                                                                                 - The Microbe Maven