State-of-the-art advances in biotechnology for polyethylene terephthalate bio-depolymerization
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used thermoplastic material that contributes significantly to global plastic pollution. To address the pressing need to recycle fossil-derived PET and the critical importance of PET biodepolymerization and recycling technologies as promising green solutions, researchers worldwide are actively developing novel PET-degrading biocatalysts and efficient processes. The advancement of PET depolymerases and PET-degrading microorganisms is regarded as a key aspect of this study. Current studies primarily focus on the exploration, development, and enhancement of effective enzymes and strains, involving their isolation and screening from nature, along with protein design and engineering as informed by the elucidation of enzymatic mechanisms. Significant efforts have been dedicated toward process optimization to enhance the PET hydrolysis reaction. However, translating these laboratory findings into real-world applications remains a significant challenge that is contingent on the applicability of the developed biocatalysts and processes under industrial conditions. This review summarizes the cutting-edge foundational outcomes in the field of PET biodepolymerization and discusses the current challenges and potential solutions to advance PET depolymerization and, ultimately, PET recycling.
Authors
- Tianwei Tan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9471-8202)
- Jie Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7244-8653)
- Yinglu Cui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2147-5879)
- Weiliang Dong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8556-5689)
- Tianyuan Su (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5758-2927)
- Anming Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9496-8420)
- Zhongli Cui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5048-7166)
- Yajun Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0899-5968)
- Xin Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8658-7444)
- Ying Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5936-0818)
- Weidong Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7954-7700)
- Min Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5000-374X)
- Yanwei Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4089-9789)
- Shaojie Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9978-425X)
- Xiaoli Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0807-8614)
Institutions
- Nanjing Agricultural University (CN)
- Nanjing Tech University (CN)
- Shandong University (CN)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (CN)
- Qinghai New Energy (China) (CN)
- Institute of Microbiology (CN)
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (CN)
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (CN)
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Green Carbon
- Published
- 2025-03-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.greenca.2025.02.003
- Citations
- 10
- Primary Topic
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.04
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Key Research and Development Program of China