Fig. (1).

Mechanism of plastic biodegradation. The physical bio-deterioration by sunlight, UV-radiation predisposes plastic waste for microbial biodegradation that is carried out through enzymatic action. The conversion of complex polymer into monomers or oligomers facilitates their assimilation by cellular ATP binding cassette (ABC), Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein, and undergoes β-oxidation by intracellular enzymes to produce Acetyl CoA, Propinoyl CoA, or Succinyl CoA which are used as the substrate for TCA cycle to produce energy (ATP) in the form of Flavin adenine dinucleotide, (FADH₂), Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).