Publication: Biodegradation of commodity plastics by bacterium isolated from natural rubber environment
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Date
2025-07-04
Authors
Siti Nur Ain binti Azmee
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Abstract
The widespread use of plastic is very worrying because it has affected the environment through discharge into water drains, disposal of plastic that can release harmful gases, and disposal in landfills that affect the ecosystem. Studies have found an effective way dispose of plastic properly through the biodegradation method to degrade plastic using Enterobacter. hormaechei subsp. xiangfangenesis strain 10-17 bacteria obtained from natural rubber latex. To increase bacterial growth, a concentration of 20%wt Cu2SO4 was chosen as the optimal value in this experiment. Next, to evaluate the biodegradation of this plastic, several plastics were selected to see the effectiveness of these bacteria to eat the plastic such as Polystyrene
(PS), Polyvinyl Cloride (PVC), High Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This biodegradability was carried out for 40 to 50 days. After that, this biodegradability was assessed using molecular weight methods, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), group formation changes confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) to see molecular weight distribution and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to find out the by products produced by the bacteria that degrade the plastic. This study demonstrated the biodegradation potential of Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis on six types of plastics, with LDPE and PP showing the highest degradation. The presence of various degradation byproducts, such as ethylene glycol and organic acids, suggests active microbial metabolism with potential soil benefits. These findings support the use of this bacterium as a promising agent for eco-friendly plastic waste management.