Gut bacteria that can Degrade Plastic

Indian mealmoths (Plodia interpunctella) have recently been discovered to harbor bacteria which can degrade polyethylene.  The bacteria in question, a Bacillus and Enterobacter species, were isolated from the guts of P. interpunctella and demonstrated significant degradation of polyethylene with "tensile strength dropped by 50%, and their ability to repel water droplets fell by 30%. And after the microbes grew on the polyethylene for 60 days, the mass of the plastic films decreased by 10%, and the molecular weights of the polymer chains dropped by 13%" (Pelley, 2014). 

Other studies complete 2011 found bacteria living in shallow pits on polyethylene  plastic found in ocean waste.  Researchers indicated that, " almost 25% of the baceteria on one polyethylene surface were vibrios, bacteria from the same group as the cholera bacterium" (Zaikab, 2011).

Electron microscopy reveals the inhabitants of a plastic bag fished from the Sargasso Sea.T. Mincer/G. Proskurowski

Works Cited:

Pelley, J. (2014, December 4). Pantry Pests Harbor Plastic-Chomping Bacteria. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pantry-pests-harbor-plastic-chomping-bacteria/

Zaikab, G. (2011, March 28). Marine microbes digest plastic. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110328/full/news.2011.191.html