Plastic-eating fungi could be weapon in pollution fight

But scientists warn 'hungry' organism only a partial solution

- STUTI MISHRA

Scientists in Germany have identified a type of fungi that is capable of breaking down synthetic plastics, offering a potential new weapon in the global fight against plastic pollution.

A team at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin found that certain microfungi can survive exclusively on plastics, degrading them into simpler forms.

While this is a promising breakthrough, especially when it comes to tackling oceanic plastic pollution, experts cautioned that it is not a silver bullet. Researchers observed that microfungi in Lake Stechlin in northeastern Germany can thrive on synthetic polymers without any other carbon source.

“The most surprising finding of our work is that our fungi could exclusively grow on some of the synthetic polymers and even form biomass,” Hans-Peter Grossart, the lead researcher, said. This ability to utilise plastic as their sole food source allows the Stechlin fungi to degrade plastic more efficiently compared to other organisms that might need additional nutrients or carbon sources.

Researchers said the fungi’s ability to break down plastic may have evolved in response to the overwhelming presence of the synthetic material in their environment.

These fungi are particularly effective at breaking down polyurethane, a common material used in construction foam, among other products. Four of the 18 fungal strains studied by the Leibniz Institute team are particularly “hungry”, which means they can efficiently utilise plastics, especially polyurethane, Reuters reported.