Enzymes involved in the manipulation of polyethylene degradation: oxidative attack by invertebrates, microorganisms and algae on microplastics | Synapse
February 12, 2026
Enzymes involved in the manipulation of polyethylene degradation: oxidative attack by invertebrates, microorganisms and algae on microplastics
Key Points
To explore enzymatic pathways for polyethylene degradation and identify effective enzyme combinations.
Conducted bibliometric analysis across multiple organisms including invertebrates and microorganisms.
Performed kinetic analyses to determine the effectiveness of laccase–cutinase cascades on polyethylene degradation.
Laccase–cutinase cascades showed the highest promise for degrading polyethylene.
Identified enzymatic pathways could lead to better strategies for managing microplastics.
Abstract
Cross-kingdom bibliometrics and kinetic analyses identify laccase–cutinase cascades as the most promising, reproducible route for enzymatic polyethylene biodegradation.