Microplastics Degradation Mechanism by Aquatic Plastiomes: A Review

Considering the increasing amount of plastic waste in the oceans, it is now obvious that plastic pollution poses a global societal and ecological concern. Discarded plastic pollutants gradually gets fragmented into microplastics (MPs) under the action of various environmental parameters. These microplastics get colonized by aquatic microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and diatoms, which form a layer of biofilms on the outer surface of the plastic termed as “plastisphere and the microbes” that is thriving on the surfaces of these contaminants, known as the “plasti-ome”. Microplastic surfaces acts as a substrate, and offers an exceptional environment for the growth of diverse microorganisms. The development of plastic-specific biofilms and the microbial breakdown of microplastics in the aquatic ecosystem are the key topics of research in this domain. This review aims to emphasis on the expanding body of literature on the role of plasti “omes” in the biodegradation of plastic pollution and their mechanism. We have discussed “plasti-omics” characterization using advanced approaches such as measures of CO2 and CH4, weight loss and degree of disintegration, Spectroscopic analysis, Electron Microscopic analysis. The deep understanding of the underlaying mechanism of plastisphere process and patterns have a significant applications for microbes and microplastic interaction studies.