Enzymes involved in the manipulation of polyethylene degradation: oxidative attack by invertebrates, microorganisms and algae on microplastics.
Li Q, Dou Y, Chen Y, Qiao Y, He H
Summary
PubMedDespite thousands of studies on plastic degradation by microorganisms and invertebrates, no scalable technology has emerged. The field suffers from poor reproducibility and methodological limitations, with most research narrowly focused on specific bacterial groups rather than diverse organisms.
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Key Findings
Analysis of 2,931 bibliometric records reveals fewer than 7% of studies report kinetic constants needed for reproducibility
Taxonomic bias identified: 65% of bacterial degradation studies focus on a limited set of organisms, limiting ecological applicability
No field-ready polyethylene biodegradation technology has successfully scaled despite decades of research
Original Abstract
Research into polyethylene (PE) biodegradation has generated thousands of organism-level studies, yet no scalable, field-ready technology has emerged. By analysing 2931 bibliometric records alongside enzyme kinetics and ecotoxicology data, we identify three overlooked limitations. First, a reproducibility deficit, with fewer than 7% of studies reporting kinetic constants. Second, a taxonomic echo-chamber, with 65% of bacterial studies focusing on
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