Open AccessDegradation of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) by aerobic sewage sludge
Author(s) -
Briese Bernd Holger,
Jendrossek Dieter,
Schlegel Hans G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1994.tb06750.x
Subject(s) - degradation (telecommunications) , sewage sludge , sewage , chemistry , biodegradation , environmental chemistry , polyhydroxyalkanoates , pulp and paper industry , waste management , environmental science , bacteria , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , biology , engineering , telecommunications , genetics
The degradation of sheets of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (BIOPOL ? ) by aerobic sewage sludge was analyzed. Degradation of the polymer was highly dependent on the pH of the culture medium and was maximal between pH 7 and pH 8.5. Below pH 6 and above pH 9 the degradation rate was very low. Agitation of the culture fluid had relatively little influence on the rates of degradation. 1.2×10 5 aerobic polymer‐degrading bacteria per ml sewage sludge were identified by halo formation on solid poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)‐containing media. The number of PHB‐degrading bacteria in other ecosystems amounted to 3.8×10 3 per ml sludge of a fresh‐water lake, 9.2×10 5 per g garden‐soil, 1.3×10 6 per g field‐soil and 4.3×10 6 per g compost.