Egyptian Scientists Discover Bacteria Capable of Degrading Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Microplastics

Exam-focused facts from the 21 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Egyptian scientists have identified bacterial strains capable of breaking down Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics, which are traditionally difficult to recycle.
The research, published in the National Library of Medicine, involved isolating bacteria from soil exposed to long-term plastic contamination.
The bacterial strain Stutzerimonas sp. NH2 was found to reduce the weight of PVC microplastics by more than 23 per cent.
Another bacterium, Glutamicibacter nicotinae NH27, also demonstrated degradation activity, although at a lower level than Stutzerimonas sp. NH2.
A consortium combining both Stutzerimonas sp. NH2 and Glutamicibacter nicotinae NH27 achieved a higher weight reduction of nearly 27 per cent.