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A Polypropylene-degrading Psychrobacillus Strain Isolated from a Landfill
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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.
Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used plastics around the world. However, PP is recalcitrant to degradation under natural conditions, and its accumulation is increasingly threatening the environment. The stain LICME-ZWZR-10 was isolated from a landfill using PP as its sole carbon source. It was found to share 99.50% genetic similarity with Psychrobacillus sp. AK 1817. Upon incubation with Psychrobacillus sp. LICME-ZWZR-10, PP particles developed a rough surface with depressions and cracks, which were discerned through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At a moderate temperature of 20 °C, this strain successfully degraded PP particles with an average diameter of 850 μm, leading to a 9±0.40% reduction in particle weight over a span of 30 days. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) released the emergence of carbonyl and ether-based functional groups on PP. Furthermore, genomic analysis unveiled the presence of a laccase-encoding gene in Psychrobacillus sp. LICME-ZWZR-10, suggesting its potential involvement in the biodegradation of PP.
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Scientists isolated bacteria from soil near garbage sites and identified strains capable of degrading plastic materials, with scanning electron microscopy revealing physical damage — holes and cracks — to plastic surfaces after bacterial exposure within 30 days. The study contributes to the search for soil microbes that could be harnessed for biological plastic waste management. Biodegradation by indigenous soil bacteria could offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to landfilling or incineration of plastic waste.
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