Approaches to Degrading Polystyrene (PS) Using Diverse Microorganisms

Use of plastics in the modern world has significantly increased and its persistent nature in an environment is still a major area of concern. Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic derivative of plastic which is composed of styrene monomer units, and the presence of phenol group in the styrene monomer contributes to its stability. PS is used in large quantities as it is used for various packaging purposes in industry, but the major area of concern is its persistent nature in an environment. In addition to various physical and chemical techniques, the biodegradation method using microorganisms has also been employed. Numerous bacterial and fungal groups have been reported to possess potential to biodegrade PS. Microorganism-mediated PS degradation involves destruction of the core styrene structure which results in lowering molecular mass. Microorganism-mediated enzymatic degradation of PS is also one of the popular methods of biodegradation. Different techniques like scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, biogas production, and determination of molar mass have been used to detect the biodegradation of PS.