Abstract

Wide use of plastics is leading towards the water and soil pollution which is of great concern. Plastics are considered as a threat to the environment because of their inability to degrade and thus accumulate in the environment causing increase in plastic waste. The cheapest and environmental friendly method to reduce the plastic waste is the use of microorganisms for degradation of plastic thus converting them into low molecular weight compounds which are not harmful for the ecosystem. This review describes the research carried out in last two decades to explore the potential of various microorganisms to degrade plastic. It also explains various types of plastic that are being produced as well as their common uses. The general mechanism involved in biodegradation process along with the factors affecting are discussed in this paper. There is a need to isolate and characterize the microorganisms as well as the enzymes involved in degrading plastic.

Keywords: Plastic waste; Biodegradation; Plastic degrading microbes