Degradation of polypropylene and polystyrene micro plastics using novel microbial consortia

The ability of synthetic plastics to resist decomposition by microbes renders their resistance to environmental degradation a major global issue of concern. The possibility of exploring microbial consortia capable of degrading these polymers is a feasible approach to curb the accumulation of plastic. This work is focused to investigate the capability of naturally occurring microbial consortia to degrade polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics (MPs). Patterns of degradation were also different and depended on the consortia: At 27 months, Consortium A, which comprised of Mucor, Penicillium and Serratia (Yersiniaceae), degraded PP by approximately 30% and Consortium B which included Enterobacter and Aspergillus degraded PS by approximately 40%. Bacteria-fungal interaction synergies promoted enzymatic cleavage and oxidative surface modification during degradation. Our results offer a potential ecological framework of sustainable biodegradation of resistant plastics, which offers a model of polymer-microbe specificity that explains collaborative and adaptive processes of microbial consortia.