Open AccessDegradation of synthetic polymers: Microbial approach
Author(s) -
Risav Banerjee,
Trisha Bhattacharya
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
indian journal of microbiology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2394-5478
pISSN - 2394-546X
DOI - 10.18231/j.ijmr.2022.002
Subject(s) - lignin , polymer , waste management , cellulose , biodegradation , plastic pollution , microbial biodegradation , degradation (telecommunications) , pulp and paper industry , environmental science , starch , environmental pollution , cellulosic ethanol , pollution , plastic waste , materials science , chemistry , microorganism , organic chemistry , bacteria , biology , engineering , environmental protection , ecology , telecommunications , genetics
A synthetic polymer is a plastic, which is having wide applications in our day-to-day life. The packaging industries, agriculture, cosmetics, etc. Plastics are not easily degradable, it takes 1000 years to degrade a plastic or even more than that. The pollution caused by plastic is not only because of the waste disposal method but it is also because it releases carbon dioxide and dioxins while burning. Plastics are considered a threat to the environment as they are not easily degradable. Our review is based on the microbial approach for plastic degradation. The waste management method being used for plastic disposal is not effective enough. Nowadays biodegradable polymers are also being used as they are more easily degradable compared to synthetic polymers. The bacteria and fungi degrade most of the organic and inorganic components like starch, lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses.