Review on colonisation and biodegradation by the "plastisphere" in relation to the microbial ecotoxicology of marine plastic debris

Given the growing amount of plastic waste in the oceans, it is now obvious that plastic pollution poses a global societal and environmental concern. The "plastisphere" of microbial life that develops on the surfaces of these contaminants has been the subject of an expanding body of work, although the fundamental ideas of microbial ecotoxicology have only sometimes been included. Microbial ecotoxicology examines I how contaminants affect microbial communities, and how much microorganisms can affect how quickly pollutants degrade. This review's objective is to provide light on the rising body of research over the last 15 years on microbial ecotoxicology and ocean plastic contamination. The effects of plastic on marine microbial life and the numerous roles it ensures in the first place. In this section, we also go over the elements that affect how biofilm forms on plastic surfaces and the potential utility of plastic debris as a vehicle for the spread of pathogen species that are dangerous. Second, we provide a critical assessment of both the applicability of the current benchmark tests for plastic biodegradability at sea and the amount to which marine microorganisms can contribute to the breakdown of plastic in the oceans. We present a few illustrations of the metabolic processes involved in polymer biodegradation. We end by posing a number of queries about the gaps in our present understanding of plastic biodegradation by marine microorganisms and identifying potential research avenues.