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Hydrolase and plastic-degrading microbiota explain degradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics during high-temperature composting
Summary
Researchers tested a PET-degrading enzyme (WCCG) in high-temperature composting and found that adding the enzyme achieved 35% PET degradation, while native plastic-degrading microbiota alone (including Acinetobacter and Bacillus) reduced PET by 26%, suggesting both enzymatic and microbial approaches can address PET microplastic pollution.
This research aims to explore the degradation properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by PET hydrolase (WCCG) in high-temperature composting and its impact on microbial communities. PET degradation, composting parameters and microbial communities were assessed in 220 L sludge composters with PET and WCCG using high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that WCCG addition led to a deceleration of the humification process and a reduction in the relative abundance of thermophilic genera. Potential PET degrading microbiota, e.g. Acinetobacter, Bacillus, were enriched in the plastisphere in the composters where PET reduced by 26 % without WCCG addition. The external introduction of the WCCG enzyme to compost predominantly instigates a chemical reaction with PET, concurently curtailing the proliferation of plastic-degrading bacteria, leading to a 35 % degradation of PET. Both the WCCG enzyme and the microbiota associated with plastic-degradation showed the potential for reducing PET, offering a novel method for mitigating pollution caused by environmental microplastics.
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