Plastic waste remains a growing global challenge, with common materials such as PET used in bottles, packaging, and textiles accumulating across land and marine environments. New research from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in collaboration with the Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, among other institutions, shows mangrove ecosystems may help scientists identify enzymes linked to breaking these plastic materials down.  

The team examined how changing conditions such as drying soils, seawater exposure, and pollution affect microbial communities in mangrove soils. They found that adding agricultural residues to mangrove soils increased the number of enzymes with the potential to break down PET, packaging, and textiles. 

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