Cited by 2,765biodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesMicroplastics and Plastic PollutionMicrobial bioremediation and biosurfactants

Biological degradation of plastics: A comprehensive review

Shah, Aamer Ali, Hasan, Fariha, Hameed, Abdul, Ahmed, Safia·2008·Biotechnology Advances

Abstract

Lack of degradability and the closing of landfill sites as well as growing water and land pollution problems have led to concern about plastics. With the excessive use of plastics and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. Awareness of the waste problem and its impact on the environment has awakened new interest in the area of degradable polymers. The interest in environmental issues is growing and there are increasing demands to develop material which do not burden the environment significantly. Biodegradation is necessary for water-soluble or water-immiscible polymers because they eventually enter streams which can neither be recycled nor incinerated. It is important to consider the microbial degradation of natural and synthetic polymers in order to understand what is necessary for biodegradation and the mechanisms involved. This requires understanding of the interactions between materials and microorganisms and the biochemical changes involved. Widespread studies on the biodegradation of plastics have been carried out in order to overcome the environmental problems associated with synthetic plastic waste. This paper reviews the current research on the biodegradation of biodegradable and also the conventional synthetic plastics and also use of various techniques for the analysis of degradation in vitro.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2007.12.005

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160 of 160 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Enzymes exhibit different efficacies depending on the nature of the ester/carbonate bonds.

    “These enzymes were shown to exhibit different efficacies depending on the nature of the ester/carbonate bonds and are summarized in Figure 13.471,473”

    From Catalysis as an Enabling Science for Sustainable Polymers (2018) · cites this paper as [473]

  • The availability of nutrients, the surface to volume ratio of PMD particles, and the molecular formulation of PMD and additive admixture are likely to influence PMD degradability.

    “The availability of nutrients, the surface to volume ratio of PMD particles, and the molecular formulation of the PMD and additive admixture are likely to inuence PMD degradability, too.60,114,134”

    From The fate of plastic in the ocean environment – a minireview (2021) · cites this paper as [134]

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Authors
Shah, A. A., Hasan, F., Hameed, A., & Ahmed, S.
Affiliations
Quaid-i-Azam University (PK)
Corresponding author
Shah, Aamer Ali
Venue
Biotechnology Advances
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2008-05
Volume
26
Issue
3
Pages
246-265
ISSN
0734-9750 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2020260244
Cited by
2,765
References
160
Citations by year
2026: 184 · 2025: 256 · 2024: 248 · 2023: 245 · 2022: 289 · 2021: 267 · 2020: 237 · 2019: 208 · 2018: 157 · 2017: 142 · 2016: 106 · 2015: 101 · 2014: 85 · 2013: 71 · 2012: 61
FWCI
1.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biotechnology Advances (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
Keywords
plastic biodegradation, biodegradable plastics, plastic waste, synthetic polymers, biodegradation mechanisms, plastic pollution, landfill closure
MeSH terms
Biodegradation, Environmental, Environmental Pollution, Plastics, Polymers

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