Study on the isolation of marine bacterial strains capable of degrading polyvinyl chloride

Abstract

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used plastic due to its good mechanical properties and thermal resistance. However, despite of its advantages, the persistent nature of PVC makes it challenging to dispose when released into the environment, thereby causing harm to human health and the environment. Recent research has revealed that specialised marine microbes (such as bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes) have the potential to biodegrade plastics and utilise many of them as the sole source of carbon.