Microalgae-Derived Bioplastic Aerobic Compost Metagenome

This BioProject contains shotgun metagenomic sequencing data from controlled aerobic composting experiments designed to investigate the biodegradation of wastewater derived microalgae based bioplastics. Compost microcosms were operated under ASTM D5338 thermophilic conditions and amended with microalgae based bioplastics, cellulose, polyethylene, or no plastic controls. The resulting metagenomes were used to characterize microbial community composition, functional potential, and genome resolved metabolic strategies associated with different polymer chemistries. These data support analyses linking bioplastic composition to shifts in microbial carbon metabolism, including transitions from sugar based glycolysis to amino acid and organic acid centered pathways. This dataset provides a resource for studying bioplastic compostability, microbial degradation mechanisms, and the environmental fate of emerging bio based materials in engineered waste treatment systems.