Scientists from the V.I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, together with colleagues from the A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, have discovered marine organisms capable of degrading polyethylene using digestive enzymes.
Microplastic particles are present in all oceans at various depths, posing a serious threat to ecosystems. However, research conducted by scientists from the Russian Far East has revealed that there are marine organisms contributing to plastic biodegradation.
Experts assessed the possibility of enzymatic biodegradation of polyethylene in the digestive organs of marine invertebrates. They studied the black sea urchin, the sea star Patiria pectinifera, and the Japanese scallop.
Scientists used infrared spectroscopy to detect signs of oxidative degradation of polymer chains in the plastic. This indicates the potential involvement of enzymes present in the digestive tract of these invertebrates in the decomposition of this material.
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