The Degradation of Polyethylene Glycol by Microbial Consortia and Production of Value-Added Products for Energy

Abstract

Polyethylene glycol, a widely used synthetic polymer, is persistent in the environment due to its disposal and accumulation in different ecosystems. Mitigating PEG pollution can be effectively achieved through microbial degradation, leveraging the metabolic capabilities of diverse microbes and their consortia. This chapter investigates the processes of PEG biodegradation by microbial consortia in mechanistic enzymatic and taxonomic approaches. The effect of environmental parameters, such as pH, temperature, and the presence of nutrients, on the degradation rates and bioprocess engineering approaches for improving the degradation process are considered. Various genetic and metabolic engineering methods are discussed to improve microbial consortia for improved bioconversion processes. The chapter also includes the conversion of byproducts of PEG degradation into value products such as fuels, bioplastics, and other biotechnology chemicals in the circular economy for sustainable development. Some specific case studies are provided to help understand efficient PEG biotransformation and these approaches’ economic and environmental advantages. The chapter also focuses on the situations that need to be addressed, for example, the structure and functioning of microbial consortia, sustainable and scalable bioprocesses, and economic and regulatory barriers to market penetration. Further research directions are indicated, focusing on marketing innovations in consortium engineering and the realization of new horizons. Ultimately, this chapter highlights the scope of microbial consortia irrespective of PEG removal in alignment with energy generation and sustainable materials production endeavors where biodegradation is a component of the waste-to-energy process.