Polyethylene Degradation by Microbes (Bacteria & Fungus): A Review

Polyethylene makes up a large share of the world’s petroleum‑based plastic waste. Because it is chemically inert and does not break down easily in the environment, it creates serious ecological problems. Traditional physical and chemical disposal methods often produce additional pollutants, so we need greener, more sustainable ways to deal with it. This work reviews and evaluates how certain bacteria and fungi can biodegrade polyethylene. We look at the enzymes these microbes use to cut the long carbon chains of the plastic and compare how effective each strain is. Important metabolic steps include the release of extracellular enzymes that act on synthetic polymers much like they do on natural materials

such as lignin and cellulose. We model and assess these processes. Our method gives a clear way to study microbial degradation rates, find the best environmental conditions, and see how mixed cultures work together. In the end, the framework helps design scalable, bio‑based waste‑management systems and moves us from lab‑scale kinetic data to real‑world, low‑cost bioremediation solutions.

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