Assessment of the Plastic Degradation potential of Two Microorganisms Isolated from Natural Polymers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/bioenv.v4i3.143Keywords:
Biodegradation, Low-density polyethylene, Bacterial isolates, Natural polymers, Plastic wasteAbstract
This study evaluated the potential of two bacterial isolates obtained from pawpaw latex and cashew gum to promote the deterioration of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Bacteria were isolated on nutrient agar and incubated with preweighed LDPE films (approximately 0.100 g) in mineral salts medium for 54 days. Changes in film mass, surface morphology and elemental composition were assessed using gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively. The isolates showed their closest reported 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence matches to Enterobacter and Alcaligenes reference sequences. Films incubated with the pawpaw-latex isolate and cashew-gum isolate exhibited mass losses of 33.91% and 24.79%, respectively. SEM revealed surface folds, cracks and pores, while EDX indicated differences in surface elemental composition between treated and control films. These observations suggest LDPE-associated mass loss and surface deterioration under the experimental conditions. However, the absence of independent replication, the presence of glucose in the medium and the semiquantitative nature of EDX limit attribution of these changes to bacterial degradation of the polymer. The findings therefore provide preliminary evidence of LDPE deterioration but do not establish polymer mineralisation. Replicated experiments with appropriate carbon-source controls and analyses of polymer-chain changes, degradation products and mineralisation are required to confirm biodegradation and assess potential applications.
References
Abdelmoez, W., Dahab, I., Ragab, E. M., Abdelsalam, O. A. & Mustafa, A. (2021), Bio- and oxo-degradable plastics: Insights on facts and challenges. Polymers for Advanced Technologies, 32(5), 1981–1996. https://doi.org/10.1002/pat.5253
Abraham, J., Ghosh, E., Mukherjee, P. & Gajendiran, A. (2017), Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 36(1), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.12467
Akhigbe, G. E., Enochoghene, A. E., Olumurewa, K. O., Koleoso, O. B. & Ogbonna, N. D. (2023), Characterization of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films degraded using bacteria strains isolated from oil-contaminated soil. Environmental Technology, 45(16), 3155-3161. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2023.2210770
Ammendolia, J., Saturno, J., Brooks, A. L., Jacobs, S. & Jambeck, J. R. (2021), An emerging source of plastic pollution: Environmental presence of plastic personal protective equipment (PPE) debris related to COVID-19 in a metropolitan city. Environmental Pollution, 269, 116160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116160
Babayemi, J. O. & Dauda, K. T. (2009), Evaluation of solid waste generation, categories and disposal options in developing countries: A case study of Nigeria. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 13(3), 83–88. https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v13i3.55370
Bremer, J. R. A. (2022), Aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation. Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography, 12(4), 325. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7625.1000325
Chamas, A., Moon, H., Zheng, J., Qiu, Y., Tabassum, T., Jang, J. H., Abu-Omar, M., Scott, S. L. & Suh, S. (2020), Degradation rates of plastics in the environment. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8, 3494–3511. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06635
Chatterjee, S., Roy, B., Roy, D. & Banerjee, R. (2010), Enzyme-mediated biodegradation of heat treated commercial polyethylene by Staphylococcal species. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 95(2), 195–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2009.11.025
Embrandiri, A., Kassaw, G. M., Geto, A. K., Wogayehu, B. T. & Embrandiri, M. (2022), The menace of single use plastics: Management and challenges in the African context. In: Yaser, A. Z., Tajarudin, H. A. & Embrandiri, A. (eds.), Waste Management, Processing and Valorisation. Springer, Singapore, pp. 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7653-6_1
Fotopoulou, K. N. & Karapanagioti, H. K. (2017), Degradation of various plastics in the environment. In: Takada, H. & Karapanagioti, H. (eds.), Hazardous Chemicals Associated with Plastics in the Marine Environment. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol. 78. Springer, Cham, pp. 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_11
Gewert, B., Plassmann, M. M. & MacLeod, M. (2015), Pathways for degradation of plastic polymers floating in the marine environment. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 17(9), 1513–1521. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5em00207a
Kale, S. K., Deshmukh, A. G., Dudhare, M. S. & Patil, V. B. (2015), Microbial degradation of plastic: A review. Journal of Biochemical Technology, 6(2), 952–961.
Kantharajan, G., Pandey, P. K., Krishnan, P., Bharti, V. S. & Samuel, V. D. (2018), Plastics: A menace to the mangrove ecosystems of megacity Mumbai, India. ISME/GLOMIS Electronic Journal, 16(1), 1–5. http://www.glomis.com
Khandare, S. D., Chaudhary, D. R. & Jha, B. (2021), Marine bacterial biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic. Biodegradation, 32, 127–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-021-09927-0
Klemeš, J. J., Fan, Y. V., Tan, R. R. & Jiang, P. (2020), Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 127, 109883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.109883
Kotova, I. B., Taktarova, Y. V., Tsavkelova, E. A., Egorova, M. A., Bubnov, I. A., Malakhova, D. V., Shirinkina, L. I., Sokolova, T. G. & Bonch-Osmolovskaya, E. A. (2021), Microbial degradation of plastics and approaches to make it more efficient. Microbiology, 90, 671–701. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261721060084
Liu, X., Gao, C., Sangwan, P., Yu, L. & Tong, Z. (2014), Accelerating the degradation of polyolefins through additives and blending. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131(18), 40750. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.40750
Meran, C., Ozturk, O. & Yuksel, M. (2008), Examination of the possibility of recycling and utilizing recycled polyethylene and polypropylene. Materials & Design, 29(3), 701–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2007.02.007
Mohanan, N., Montazer, Z., Sharma, P. K. & Levin, D. B. (2020), Microbial and enzymatic degradation of synthetic plastics. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 580709. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.580709
Montazer, Z., Habibi Najafi, M. B. & Levin, D. B. (2020), Challenges with verifying microbial degradation of polyethylene. Polymers, 12, 123. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12010123
Olanrewaju, O. O. & Oyebade, A. D. (2019), Environmental menace of plastic waste in Nigeria: Challenges, policies and technological efforts. In: Proceedings of World Environmental Conservation Conference, pp. 322–333.
Oluwole, O. A., Oluyege, J. O. & Olowomofe, T. O. (2022), Biodegradation of polyethylene based films used in water packaging by dumpsite bacteria. Bioremediation Journal, 28(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10889868.2022.2087591
Onajobi, I. B., Idowu, E. O., Adeyemi, J. O., Samson, O. J., Ogunyinka, P. I. & Fagade, O. E. (2020), In vitro antibacterial activities and molecular characterization of bacterial species isolated from farmlands against selected pathogens. Biotechnology Reports, 27, e00513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.btre.2020.e00513
Ongia, J. O., Turyabanawe, L., Barasa, B., Mulabbi, A. & Akello, G. (2021), Factors and constraints hindering effective municipal solid waste management systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case study of Northern Uganda. International Journal of Advanced Research, 3(1), 130–149. https://doi.org/10.37284/ijar.3.1.431
Oyebode, O. J. (2013), Solid waste management for sustainable development and public health: A case study of Lagos State in Nigeria. Universal Journal of Public Health, 1(3), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujph.2013.010301
Pathak, V. M. & Navneet (2017), Review on the current status of polymer degradation: A microbial approach. Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 4, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40643-017-0145-9
Rajeswari, S., Prasanthi, T., Sudha, N., Swain, R. P., Panda, S. & Goka, V. (2017), Natural polymers: A recent review. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 6(8), 472–494.
Raziyafathima, M., Praseetha, P. K. & Rimal Isaac, R. S. (2016), Microbial degradation of plastic waste: A review. Journal of Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Biological Sciences, 4(2), 231–242.
Ru, J., Huo, Y. & Yang, Y. (2020), Microbial degradation and valorization of plastic wastes. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00442
Salami, H. A., Adegite, J. O., Bademosi, T. T., Lawal, S. O., Olutayo, O. O. & Olowosokedile, O. (2019), A review on the current status of municipal solid waste management in Nigeria: Problems and solutions. Journal of Engineering Research and Reports, 3(4), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.9734/jerr/2018/v3i416884
Samanta, S., Datta, D. & Halder, G. (2020), Biodegradation efficacy of soil inherent novel sp. Bacillus tropicus (MK318648) onto low density polyethylene matrix. Journal of Polymer Research, 27, 324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-020-02296-x
Sanniyasi, E., Gopal, R. K., Gunasekar, D. K. & Raj, P. P. (2021), Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge. Scientific Reports, 11, 17233. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96315-6
Shawaphun, S., Manangan, T. & Wacharawichanant, S. (2010), Thermo- and photo-degradation of LDPE and PP films using metal oxides as catalysts. Advanced Materials Research, 93–94, 505–508. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.93-94.505
Sridharan, R., Krishnaswamy, V. G. & Kumar, P. S. (2021), Analysis and microbial degradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in Winogradsky column. Environmental Research, 201, 111646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111646
Torimiro, N., Akhigbe, G. E. & Adebiyi, F. M. (2020), Bioprospecting of potential petroleum hydrocarbon degraders using bacterial strains isolated from soils around transformer installation areas. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 46(1), 16110-16123. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2020.1815906
Venkatesan, R., Santhamoorthy, M., Alagumalai, K., Haldhar, R., Raorane, C. J., Raj, V. & Kim, S.-C. (2022), Novel approach in biodegradation of synthetic thermoplastic polymers: An overview. Polymers, 14, 4271. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204271
Vennila, A., Jayasiri, H. B. & Pandey, P. K. (2014), Plastic debris in the coastal and marine ecosystem: A menace that needs concerted efforts. IJFAS, 2, 24–29.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Adebisi Enochoghene, Godswill Akhigbe, Oluwoleola Henry Ogunkoya, Adonis Aruoture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
