Biodegradation and Bioremediation of Polymer by Microbial Assisted Novel Process

The degradation of polystyrene (PS) and polyurethane (PU), both are foams, is a budding challenge due to increasing white pollution. The present investigation has focused on the microbial assisted biodegradation. Various indigenous microorganisms were isolated from sewage soil. PS – PU foam and bioplastic was used to screen the soil bacteria with biodegradation potential. The screened bacteria were subjected to biodegradation assay such as soil burial and liquid culture in the presence of PS – PU foams and bioplastic in a growth medium. Two microorganism were isolated-- Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus niger. The degradation rate based on weight loss is conducted by in vitro assay for 10 and 35 days. The maximum degraded foam was analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and PS – PU foam and bioplastic act as a control without microorganisms. Results of the present study showed that the maximum degradation and weight loss in the polyurethane foam occurred in the soil burial method by Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with Aspergillus niger. The soil burial method is more significant than liquid culture method. There is no weight reduction in the polystyrene foam in both organism and methods. For the degradation of synthetic polymers the isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus niger were encapsulated for future studies.