Sustainable Approaches To Plastic Degradation In Aquatic Environments: A Review Of Mechanisms And Challenges

Abstract

Plastic has always been a pollutant in the marine ecosystem, where several kinds of plastics have been widely used along with their different applications. The increase in plastic waste in aquatic environments is a serious environmental concern, primarily due to its persistence in the degradation process. This review emphasizes the different mechanisms for plastic degradation, mainly in water sources. They can be further categorized into biotic and abiotic processes. Abiotic degradation involves many techniques, out of which photodegradation, thermos oxidative degradation, hydrolysis, and mechanical fragmentation are precursors to microbial degradation. Microbial influence on plastic degradation has also been examined, highlighting microbial consortia in breaking down synthetic polymers as well as bacterial biofilms. Many challenges persist due to environmental and ecological barriers despite promising microbial mediated degradation. Different types of barriers may include low temperatures, biofilm formation, and salinity fluctuations. In addition to that, the limitations of current research approaches, including the disparity between ideal and real-world conditions, hinder the development of scalable solutions. It is very important to address these gaps to advance sustainable plastic waste management and mitigate the long-term impacts of plastic pollution in aquatic environments.