Welcome to Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin,

Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (21): 69-77.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2023-0859

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research Progress on Biodegradation of Polyethylene (PE)

SHI Yueqi1(), YE Guangbin2, SUN Shanshan1(), GE Jingping1()   

  1. 1 Engineering Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Technology, Ministry of Education / Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering and Biological Fermentation Engineering for Cold Region / Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Heilongjiang Province / School of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080
    2 Life Sciences Institute, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000
  • Received:2023-12-14 Revised:2024-02-15 Online:2024-07-25 Published:2024-07-11

Abstract:

Polyethylene (PE), as one of the most used plastics in the world, has widely existed in the natural environment because of its wear-resistant, high molecular weight and indestructible properties. PE would break down into microplastics (MPs) and accumulate in large quantities, and currently MPs has become an important pollutant that affects the ecosystem. Currently, many studies have been demonstrated that PE could be partially degraded, but further research is needed in screening of microorganisms or enzymes that could completely degrade PE and construct a complete biodegradation pathway for PE. Therefore, this paper summarizes the classification, recycle methods and characterization methods of PE, microorganisms and enzymes that degrade PE, biodegradation pathways and influencing factors, and proposes future research directions of PE biodegradation. These findings provide theoretical basis for the degradation mechanism of PE.

Key words: polyethylene, microplastics, characterization methods, microorganisms, enzymes, biodegradation, polythene degrading strains, degradation pathways