Researchers have found that the marine funguscan break down polyethylene in the ocean when exposed to UV light, suggesting the presence of more plastic-degrading fungi in deeper waters. A plastic particle is colonized by the marine fungusdegrades UV-exposed polyethylene in the ocean, suggesting that similar fungi might also break down plastics in deeper waters.
Researchers, including those from NIOZ, have discovered that a marine fungus can decompose the plastic polyethylene after it has been exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Their findings, published in the journal, suggest that numerous other fungi capable of degrading plastic likely reside in the deeper regions of the ocean.lives together with other marine microbes in thin layers on plastic litter in the ocean.
Vaksmaa is thrilled about the new finding: “What makes this research scientifically outstanding, is that we can quantify the degradation process.” In the laboratory, Vaksmaa and her team observed that the breakdown of PE byoccurs at a rate of about 0.05 percent per day. “Our measurements also showed that the fungus doesn’t use much of the carbon coming from the PE when breaking it down.
Lead author Annika Vaksmaa of NIOZ: “Large amounts of plastics end up in subtropical gyres, ring-shaped currents in oceans in which seawater is almost stationary. That means once the plastic has been carried there, it gets trapped there. Some 80 million kilograms of floating plastic have already accumulated in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre in the Pacific Ocean alone, which is only one of the six large gyres worldwide.
Reference: “Biodegradation of polyethylene by the marine fungus Parengyodontium album” by A. Vaksmaa, H. Vielfaure, L. Polerecky, M.V.M. Kienhuis, M.T.J. van der Meer, T. Pflüger, M. Egger and H. Niemann, 26 April 2024,
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