We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Biodegradation of polyester polyurethane by Aspergillus flavus G10
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers isolated the fungus Aspergillus flavus from cricket guts and found it can degrade polyester polyurethane, causing measurable chemical and physical changes in the plastic over time. Insect gut fungi may represent a promising source of plastic-degrading organisms.
Abstract Polyurethanes (PU) are integral to many aspects of our daily lives. Due to the extensive use of and difficulties in recycling or reusing PU, it mostly accumulates as waste. Various bacteria and fungi have been reported to degrade PU. We examined the fungus Aspergillus flavus G10 in that regard, after isolating it from the guts of Gryllus bimaculatus , a common cricket species. We observed surficial and chemical changes of PU with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. We measured physical changes as loss in tensile stress, stretching force, and weight of PU after incubations. Fungal hydrolysis of urethane bonds in the polymer backbone was demonstrated by detecting the formation of methylene di-aniline during incubations. Trapped CO 2 during incubations equaled 52.6% of PU carbon. Biodegradation of PU was maximal by fungi cultured on a malt extract medium at 25 °C, pH 12, and 14:10 hrs light to dark ratio. Pretreating PU films with UV light or 1% FeSO 4 or NaCl solutions further enhanced the rate of biodegradation. A range of techniques are needed to fully characterize the degradation of PU or other plastic polymers and to optimize conditions for their microbial degradation.
More Papers Like This
Solving the plastic dilemma: the fungal and bacterial biodegradability of polyurethanes
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined the biodegradability of polyurethane by fungi and bacteria, identifying promising microbial species and enzymes capable of breaking down this widely used but environmentally persistent plastic polymer.
Biodegradation of polyethylene microplastic particles by the fungus Aspergillus flavus from the guts of wax moth Galleria mellonella
AI summary Read the abstract
A fungus isolated from wax moth gut contents, Aspergillus flavus PEDX3, was found to degrade high-density polyethylene microplastic particles over 28 days, reducing molecular weight and showing new carbonyl functional groups by FTIR analysis. The study identifies a potential biological route for PE microplastic degradation in the environment.
Plastic biodegradation by in vitro environmental microorganisms and in vivo gut microorganisms of insects
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed seven years of studies on plastic biodegradation by environmental microorganisms and insect gut microbes. The study found that while microbial degradation in environmental conditions is extremely slow, certain insects can biodegrade plastics like polystyrene and polyethylene at much faster rates, likely through gut microbe-dependent processes.
Biodegradation of Polyurethane by Fungi Isolated from Industrial Wastewater—A Sustainable Approach to Plastic Waste Management
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers isolated fungal strains from industrial wastewater and demonstrated their capacity to degrade polyurethane through enzymatic mechanisms, identifying promising microbial candidates that could form the basis of sustainable biological treatment systems for PU plastic waste.
Ability of fungi isolated from plastic debris floating in the shoreline of a lake to degrade plastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers isolated over 100 fungal strains from plastic debris floating in a Swiss lake and tested their ability to degrade polyethylene and polyurethane, finding that none could degrade polyethylene but four species degraded polyurethane. The results highlight the limited capacity of naturally occurring plastic-colonizing fungi to break down the most abundant plastic polymers in the environment.
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.