A bio-nano-enabled microcarrier for microplastic degradation

Globally, trillions of microplastics (MPs) are present in the environment, a result of excessive use and their chemical complexity and poor biodegradability. Although MP biodegradation may occur naturally, the rate of breakdown is too slow to reverse their
accumulation. The problem is further compounded by their ability to act as carriers/vectors for other contaminants. A cost- and ecofriendly cleanup technique is thus urgently needed that can address the chemical complexity and diversity of MPs. Project
BioNanoPlast aims to revolutionise MP remediation by developing an integrated setup, combining physio-chemical and biological tools to produce and implement a sustainable MPs bioremediation tool. BioNanoPlast would select a consortium of naturally occurring bacteria and optimize the microbial nutrient requirements aiming to increase their MPs degradation capacity and biosurfactant production ability. In order to overcome the difficulties associated with MPs biodegradation, such as biotoxicity at high concentrations and low bio-affinity, a photocatalyst-coated core-shell microcarrier will be used. The design of the microcarrier, which has microorganisms encapsulated in a hydrophilic core and separated by a hydrophobic shell, would improve the adhesion and adsorption of MPs. In order to protect bacteria from high MPs levels, the shell will also be covered with a photocatalyst. Ecotoxicity analysis will also be performed to determine if the proposed tool is compatible with the environment prior to its application in the field. This state-of-the art approach will produce a novel integrated system that allows bacteria to be near MPs without being exposed to their excessive concentration. As a result, the proposed effort will create a core-shell bio-nano-carrier that will be tested for its integrated bioremediation potential on a range of labeled MPs, thus demonstrating fully its capability and efficacy against the most common MPs (PE, PET, PS).