Fig. 2

Evidence for a role for insects, host-associated microbes, or host-independent, free-living microbes in plastic degradation. Degradation of the plastic polymer may be detected by a variety of methods, including: [i] mass loss of plastic such as clear zone development around colonies on plastic-infused/overlaid agar, [ii] altered plastic surface properties (e.g., visible by scanning electron microscopy) and [iii] generation of degradation products (e.g., CO₂, polymer metabolites detected by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy or high-performance liquid chromatography)