TABLE 1.

Microorganisms degrading the synthetic polymers PVC, polyurethane, nylon, and acrylics and their mode of action

Synthetic polymer(s)	Degrading microorganisms	Main mode of action	Reference(s)
PVC	Fungi (e.g., Aureobasidium pullulans) and bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa)	Increased loss of plasticizers due to microbial degradation	67
Polyurethanea	Fungi (e.g., Chaetomium globosum) and bacteria (e.g., Bacillus subtilis)	Enzymatic activity	33,36
Nylon	Wood-degrading fungi (e.g., Bjerkandera adusta) and bacteria (e.g., Bacillus pallidus)	Physical disruption and enzymatic degradation	24,63
Acrylics	Melanin-producing fungi	Likely physical disruption	8,37,60

^aPolyester-type polyurethanes are more susceptible to microbial attack than other forms.