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Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG01: A Novel Polyethylene-Degrading Bacterium in Petrochemical Wastewater
Summary
Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG01, isolated from petrochemical wastewater sludge, degraded polyethylene films by increasing surface hydrophilicity and forming hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amide functional groups detectable by FTIR, with SEM confirming surface erosion pits. Identifying bacteria capable of breaking down PE offers potential bioremediation strategies for polyethylene microplastic contamination in industrial effluent and environmental settings.
Microbial degradation technology presents a sustainable approach to address the environmental persistence of polyethylene (PE). In this study, a consortium of PE-degrading strains was isolated from sludge in the production wastewater of a PE-manufacturing plant. Among these strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG01 demonstrated the highest cellular growth rate in culture medium, indicating its capacity to efficiently degrade PE and utilize it as the sole carbon source. Following treatment with SG01, the PE films exhibited a significant reduction in mass along with a clear decrease in surface contact angle, suggesting an improvement in hydrophilicity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis detected the formation of new absorption bands on the treated PE films, corresponding to hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amide functional groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations further revealed the presence of erosion pits and network-like cracks on the film surface. This study confirms that Pseudomonas aeruginosa SG01 can effectively degrade PE and modify its surface properties, offering a novel microbial resource for the bioremediation of PE contamination.