PlasticDB

A comprehensive database of plastic-degrading microorganisms and enzymes. Every entry is backed by experimental evidence from peer-reviewed literature — no computational predictions.

PlasticDB v2 Capabilities

Beyond a lookup table — citable and discovery-ready

Bulk Downloads

Export the whole database — proteins, organisms, plastics, papers — as FASTA, CSV or JSON files, or a single ZIP. Filter by plastic, year, or assay method.

HMM Discovery

Screen metagenomic sequences against polymer-specific HMM profiles to discover plastizyme candidates without requiring a close homolog.

Pathway Explorer

Visualise multi-step degradation pathways (currently PET/Pseudideonella sakaiensis). More pathways planned for PHB, PCL, PLA and PBAT.

REST API

Programmatic access to all PlasticDB data via a documented REST API. Integrate microorganism, protein, and plastic records directly into your own pipelines.

Explore the Database

Discover, search, and analyse plastic biodegradation data

Microorganisms

Search species by taxonomy, plastic type, environment, and more.

Proteins

Explore plastic-active enzymes with sequences and 3D structures.

Browse

Statistics

Interactive visualisations: phylogeny, geography, abundance charts.

View

Bioinformatics

Annotate your sequences against the PlasticDB enzyme database.

Use Tools

Latest Updates

Global Ocean Microbiome Study

A comprehensive study exploring the global ocean microbiome and its potential for plastic biodegradation across diverse marine environments.

Web Application Published

PlasticDB web application and database described in the Database journal. Learn more about the features and capabilities.

Contribute to PlasticDB

Have data on plastic-degrading microorganisms or enzymes? Help us grow the database.

Submit Your Data