Researchers uncover new plastic-degrading microbe species
A team of scientists has identified a novel microbe capable of breaking down plastics at high efficiency. The discovery, made during an ocean expedition, could offer new solutions for plastic pollution. Details were published in a recent scientific journal.
On September 28, 2025, ScienceDaily reported a breakthrough in environmental microbiology. Researchers from the University of California led by Dr. Elena Rivera announced the discovery of a new bacterial species, dubbed Plastivorax oceanica, found in deep-sea sediments of the Pacific Ocean.
The microbe was isolated during a 2024 research expedition exploring microbial life in remote oceanic trenches. Laboratory tests revealed that P. oceanica can degrade common plastics like polyethylene and polystyrene with 95% efficiency within 48 hours under controlled conditions. 'This bacterium represents a natural mechanism that evolution has honed for carbon cycling, now applicable to human-made pollutants,' Dr. Rivera stated in the release.
The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Microbiology, involved genomic sequencing that showed unique enzymes in the microbe's makeup, enabling it to break molecular bonds in plastics. Background context highlights the growing plastic waste crisis: global production exceeds 400 million tons annually, with oceans receiving about 11 million tons each year, according to prior UN reports referenced in the article.
Implications include potential biotechnological applications, such as engineering waste treatment systems or developing bio-based cleanup tools. However, the researchers caution that scaling up the process requires further field trials to assess environmental impacts. No large-scale applications have been tested yet.
The discovery builds on earlier work with plastic-eating bacteria, like Ideonella sakaiensis identified in 2016, but P. oceanica shows higher degradation rates in saline environments. The team plans follow-up studies to explore genetic modifications for industrial use.