Biotechnology advances for dealing with environmental pollution by micro(nano)plastics: Lessons on theory and practices
Abstract Plastic pollution has become a global problem and a threat for environmental and human health. The management of plastic pollution has been mainly focused on macroplastics, involving several strategies such as legislation and waste management. Education and awareness are increasingly used for controlling the demand of disposable plastic items, for the increase of the recycling effectiveness and for raising consciousness regarding plastic pollution impacts on the environment. Biotechnology tools, as discussed in this review, are currently under development for the remediation of plastics, and particularly, micro(nano)plastics, and demonstrated to be promising in facilitating degradation and subsidizing research on a new generation of biodegradable plastics.