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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.
Liu et al. (Sat,) studied this question.