Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the world today. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste enter rivers, lakes, and oceans. Over time, this waste spreads across the globe and has now been found in nearly every corner of the ocean—from shallow coastal waters to the deepest ocean trenches on Earth.
Plastic is popular because it is durable, lightweight, versatile, and inexpensive. However, those same qualities make it a long-lasting pollutant. Many plastic products can remain in the environment for decades or even centuries before breaking down. As a result, marine animals often become trapped in plastic waste or accidentally eat tiny plastic particles, which can harm ecosystems and food chains.
Scientists have been searching for solutions to this growing problem. One promising option has been the development of biodegradable plastics, also known as bioplastics. Unlike traditional petroleum-based plastics, these materials are designed to break down naturally. However, there is a major limitation: most biodegradable plastics only decompose efficiently in industrial composting facilities, where heat, moisture, and microorganisms are carefully controlled.
In the cold, dark, and nutrient-limited conditions of the ocean, many bioplastics degrade very slowly. This means that even environmentally friendly plastics can still remain in marine environments for long periods.
Now, researchers from the University of Rochester and several partner institutions have developed an innovative solution: reusable “bio-stickers” that contain living bacteria capable of speeding up the breakdown of biodegradable plastics in ocean environments.
A Living Solution to Plastic Waste
The research was led by Anne S. Meyer, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester. Together with her colleagues, Meyer created a unique 3D-printed sticker containing specially selected bacteria that can actively digest biodegradable plastic materials.
The bio-sticker acts like a living tool. When attached to certain types of bioplastics, the bacteria begin breaking down the material much faster than it would naturally degrade in the ocean.
According to Meyer, the technology serves as a proof of concept that engineered living materials can be used to reduce plastic pollution and make biodegradable plastics more practical for marine applications.
The research was published in ACS Applied Polymer Materials and is part of a larger collaboration involving scientists from several universities, marine researchers, and industry partners.
Why Ocean Plastic Is Such a Difficult Problem
Plastic pollution in the ocean is not just caused by bottles, bags, and packaging. Scientific research itself contributes to the problem.
Modern oceanographers often use expendable instruments to collect data about ocean currents, temperature, salinity, weather patterns, and other important environmental information. Many of these devices are designed to be deployed in the ocean and never recovered.
While these instruments provide valuable scientific data, they also leave behind plastic components that accumulate over time.
Researchers realized that if these devices could be made from materials that naturally degrade in the ocean, they could significantly reduce their environmental footprint.
However, for this idea to work, scientists needed a material that could remain strong and durable during use but still break down after its job was complete.
Learning from Nature
To solve this challenge, the team turned to nature for inspiration.
Their biodegradable plastic is based on a natural polymer called polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). PHB is a type of polyester that has been produced by bacteria for billions of years.
Because PHB has existed in nature for so long, many marine microorganisms have naturally evolved the ability to consume and break it down.
This makes PHB an attractive alternative to traditional plastics. It provides many of the benefits of conventional plastic while offering the possibility of natural degradation in marine environments.
The challenge was finding a way to make this degradation happen more quickly and under controlled conditions.
The Power of 3D Bioprinting
One of the most exciting aspects of the project is the use of advanced 3D bioprinting technology.
Meyer’s laboratory has developed pioneering bacterial 3D printers capable of creating materials that contain living microorganisms. Instead of simply printing plastic structures, these printers can embed bacteria directly into specially designed materials.
Using this technology, the researchers created bio-stickers made from a gel-like substance containing salt-tolerant marine bacteria.
These bacteria remain alive inside the sticker and can survive for at least three weeks while continuing to perform their plastic-degrading work.
When a bio-sticker is attached to a PHB-based plastic object, the bacteria begin accelerating the breakdown process.
Adjustable and Reusable
One of the most useful features of the bio-stickers is that they are highly customizable.
Researchers discovered that they could control how quickly the plastic degrades by adjusting factors such as:
The number of bacteria inside the sticker
The environmental temperature
The specific bacterial strains being used
This flexibility is important because different users require different lifespans for their plastic products.
Some applications may need materials that disappear within days, while others may require durability for months or even years before degradation begins.
The stickers are also reusable. Once one piece of plastic has been treated, the sticker can be removed and placed on another item. This makes the technology both efficient and cost-effective.
In addition, the stickers are strong and adhesive enough to function in harsh marine environments, including salty seawater conditions.
Finding the Right Ocean Bacteria
A key part of the project was identifying bacteria capable of surviving and working in cold ocean environments.
Marine microbiologist Alyson Santoro and her team at the University of California, Santa Barbara, focused on culturing and studying bacteria that naturally break down PHB.
The researchers specifically searched for microbial species that thrive in low-temperature marine environments, where degradation processes are often slower.
Their work helped provide the biological foundation needed for the bio-sticker technology.
From Laboratory to Real-World Oceans
The project has already moved beyond the laboratory stage.
Researchers worked closely with oceanographers, industry partners, government organizations, and equipment manufacturers to test the biodegradable plastics under realistic ocean conditions.
The team also developed prototype oceanographic instruments made from these new materials.
Several manufacturers have committed to replacing some or all of their conventional plastic components with ocean-degradable alternatives. This could introduce a new level of sustainability into fields such as ocean observation, reef restoration, aquaculture, fishing, and maritime operations.
A Future with Smarter Plastics
The researchers believe this technology could have applications far beyond scientific instruments.
Ocean-degradable plastics could eventually be used in fishing gear, aquaculture equipment, environmental restoration projects, and other marine industries where plastic waste is a persistent challenge.
The team has also founded a startup company called Nereid Biomaterials, which aims to bring these ocean-friendly materials to market and expand their use across multiple industries.
While more testing and development are still needed, the study represents an important step toward a future where plastics can be both useful and environmentally responsible.
Instead of remaining in the ocean for decades, future plastic products may be designed to disappear naturally when their purpose is complete. Combined with living bio-stickers that actively accelerate decomposition, this innovation could help reduce one of the world's most persistent pollution problems and create cleaner, healthier oceans for future generations.
Reference: Luying He et al, 3D-Bioprinted Marine Bacteria for the Degradation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Bioplastics, ACS Applied Polymer Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.5c03370
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