Researchers Identify Fungi, Bacteria in Coastal Salt Marshes That Can Help Global Plastic Waste Problem

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, affecting ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.

However, a new study has revealed that some fungi have evolved to eat plastic and may offer a potential solution to the global waste problem.

What are plastic-eating fungi?

(Photo : OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Plastic-eating fungi are microorganisms that can degrade and decompose various types of plastic materials, such as polyurethane (PUR), polyester polyurethane (PU), and polypropylene (PP), as per Phys.org.

These plastics are widely used for packaging, clothing, furniture, and medical devices, but are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills or oceans.

Plastic-eating fungi use enzymes to break down the chemical bonds of plastic molecules and convert them into organic matter.

Some of these fungi can survive solely on plastic as their food source, while others require additional nutrients from other sources.

Some of these fungi can also grow in anaerobic conditions, meaning they do not need oxygen to live.

Plastic-eating fungi have been discovered in various habitats around the world, such as rainforests, alpine regions, coastal salt marshes, and even backyards.

Some examples of plastic-eating fungi include Pestalotiopsis microspora, Aspergillus tubingensis, Engyodontium album, and Aspergillus terreus.

How do plastic-eating fungi help reduce plastic waste?

Plastic-eating fungi have the potential to help reduce plastic waste by bioremediation, which is the use of living organisms to clean up contaminated environments, as per Post Online Media Magazine.

Plastic-eating fungi can degrade plastic waste in landfills, oceans, and soil, reducing its volume and toxicity.

Plastic-eating fungi can also help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from plastic decomposition.

Plastic waste emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming when it decomposes under waterlogged conditions.

Plastic-eating fungi can prevent methane production by converting plastic into carbon dioxide and water.

Plastic-eating fungi can also create value-added products from plastic waste, such as human-grade food, animal feed, biofuel, and bioplastics.

For example, a project by Austrian researcher Katharina Unger used the edible oyster mushroom to turn plastic into food in a device called the "Fungi Mutarium".

Another project by researchers from Kew Gardens and partners used the mycelium of plastic-eating fungi to create biodegradable packaging materials.

Also Read: Mysterious Fungi Group Belongs to New Tree of Life Branch After Deviating from Other Fungi 300 Million Years Ago

What are the challenges and limitations of plastic-eating fungi?

Plastic-eating fungi are not a silver bullet for solving the plastic pollution crisis. They face several challenges and limitations that need to be addressed before they can be widely applied, as per MenaFN.

One challenge is to identify and isolate the most efficient and effective strains of plastic-eating fungi for different types of plastics and environments.

This requires extensive screening and testing of fungal species and their enzymes under various conditions.

Another challenge is to scale up and optimize the biodegradation process of plastic-eating fungi for industrial applications.

This requires developing suitable bioreactors, substrates, inoculants, and monitoring systems to ensure optimal growth and performance of the fungi.

A third challenge is to ensure the safety and sustainability of using plastic-eating fungi for bioremediation and bioproduction.

This requires assessing the environmental impact, health risks, ethical implications, and social acceptance of using genetically modified or invasive fungal species for degrading plastic waste.

The most important challenge is to reduce plastic consumption and production in the first place.

Plastic-eating fungi can only help with managing existing plastic waste, but they cannot prevent new plastic waste from being generated.

Therefore, it is essential to adopt a circular economy approach that minimizes plastic use and maximizes reuse and recycling.