We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Biodegradation of polystyrene with laccase-producing enterobacteria isolated from a municipal waste dump.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers isolated three bacterial strains from a municipal waste dump and demonstrated their ability to biodegrade both crystal and expanded polystyrene through laccase enzyme activity. Enterobacter sp. UAMI-C3 was the most effective strain, achieving 0.85% weight loss of expanded polystyrene in 30 days, with copper sulfate induction boosting laccase-driven degradation.
In this work, the ability to biodegrade two samples of polystyrene (PS) was evaluated: crystal and expanded with three bacterial strains isolated from PS waste collected in the municipal dump of Chimalhuacán, Estado de Mexico. The biodegradation potential of the isolated strains was determined by means of substrate weight loss assays. All three bacterial strains were found to be able to biodegrade both types of PS. The study also aimed to determine if the isolated bacteria produce laccase. This enzyme belongs to the oxidoreductase family and is known to degrade polyethylene. Copper sulfate (CuSO4) was used as the inducer of laccase activity, and an increase in enzyme activity was observed with simultaneous loss of PS weight compared to the control assay without CuSO4. It was concluded that laccase directly participated in the biodegradation of this synthetic polymer. Enterobacter sp. UAMI-C3 proved to be the most efficient strain in the degradation of expanded PS with a weight decrease of 0.85% in 30 days with laccase activity at 9.8 x 10-3 U/mL.
More Papers Like This
Degradation and potential metabolism pathway of polystyrene by bacteria from landfill site
AI summary Read the abstract
This study identified bacteria from landfill soil capable of degrading polystyrene microplastics, characterizing the microbial community involved and elucidating potential metabolic pathways for polystyrene breakdown. The findings support the potential for bioremediation of this otherwise recalcitrant plastic.
Microbial Degradation of Polystyrene: Mechanisms, Enzymes and Environmental Significance
AI summary Read the abstract
Multiple bacterial and fungal species produce enzymes—including laccases, esterases, and monooxygenases—capable of breaking down polystyrene into CO2 and water under laboratory conditions. Polystyrene is a major source of persistent microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment, and microbial degradation represents a promising bioremediation strategy.
Identification and Characterization of a Polyethylene-Degrading Fungus Aspergillus sydowii Isolated from Soils of Waste Disposal Sites
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers isolated a new fungal strain, Aspergillus sydowii W144, from landfill soil and found it degrades untreated low-density polyethylene under solid-state conditions—achieving 6.4% weight loss and a 51% reduction in molecular weight in 30 days—then identified laccase as the key initiating enzyme through genomic analysis and heterologous expression.
Application of laccase produced by marineactinomycetes in accelerating the rate of biodegradation of polyethylene
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined the use of laccase enzymes produced by marine actinomycetes to accelerate the biodegradation of polyethylene, finding that enzymatic treatment enhanced plastic breakdown and offers a potential bioremediation strategy for plastic waste.
A Polypropylene-degrading Psychrobacillus Strain Isolated from a Landfill
AI summary Read the abstract
A bacterial strain isolated from a landfill — identified as a Psychrobacillus species — was found to degrade polypropylene plastic particles, reducing their mass by about 9% over 30 days at a mild temperature of 20°C. The bacteria created visible surface damage on the plastic and introduced new carbonyl and ether functional groups, with genomic analysis pointing to a laccase enzyme as the likely mechanism. While degradation rates are still slow, discovering cold-tolerant plastic-degrading bacteria expands the toolkit for potential biological approaches to breaking down persistent plastic waste.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.