Effects of nan/microplastics as newly known pollutants on the environment and their microbial degradation

Document Type : review articles

Author

Professor, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khozestan

Abstract

The increasing accumulation of plastic waste is one of the main environmental challenges currently facing human societies. Environmental toxicity of nano∕microplastics as newly known pollutants is a constant threat to terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric ecosystems. Nanoplastics are well able to pass through cell membranes and enter the cell, disrupting all vital functions of living organisms, including humans, plants, and microorganisms. Nano∕microplastics are considered a serious global pollutant due to their resistance to decomposition. Therefore, increasing efforts have been made to eliminate or reduce nano∕microplastics through eco-friendly technologies. Bio-enzymes have been evaluated as efficient agents for plastic degradation. A variety of plastic-degrading enzymes have been discovered among microbial communities. However, naturally occurring plastic degrading enzymes are not suitable for synthetic plastic degradation due to poor thermos-stability and low catalytic activity. Therefore, exploration in various environments to discover new plastic-degrading enzymes with desirable properties and functions has been increasingly considered. In the biological approach, the decomposition of nano/microplastics, increasing the efficiency of depolymerization, and optimizing the activity and thermal stability of the enzymes involved, have been investigated in various ways. Recent research efforts have made significant progress in discovering and engineering plastic decomposing enzymes, showing great promise for the suitable treatment for plastics biodegradation.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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