Bioprocessing of plastics for sustainable environment: Progress, challenges, and prospects

Environmental biotic and abiotic components are threatened by the continuous use, accumulation, and contamination of plastics. Additionally, it contributes to global warming by increasing carbon footprints. Plastic degradation using physicochemical methods has proved to be ineffective and release potentially harmful byproducts. A novel strategy for the efficient degradation of plastics is therefore urgently needed. Microbial degradation of plastics and converting them into value-added products is more promising for a sustainable ecosystem. The review provides a comprehensive summary of the current state of microbial technologies for the degradation of different types of plastics. The study elucidates the mechanism of plastics decomposition with an emphasis on the genetic improvement of the microbial strains for effective biodegradation. Further, the fate of the microbially degraded plastic materials as suitable precursors for the synthesis of high-value products is highlighted. Finally, the challenges and directions for future research on microbial degradation of plastics are discussed.