Open AccessBiosurfactants as facilitators in Biodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Author(s) -
C. F. Nnaji,
E. C. Ogu,
Oghenerobor B. Akpor
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.179
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/1107/1/012135
Subject(s) - biodegradation , low density polyethylene , pseudomonas , chemistry , food science , incubation , polyethylene , bacillus subtilis , pulp and paper industry , waste management , bacteria , organic chemistry , biology , biochemistry , engineering , genetics
Low density polythene (LDPE) is amongst the highest produced synthetic plastic and also largely plagued with ineffective disposal management. Strategies to remedy its ineffective disposal have been underway and at the forefront is biodegradation due its positive environmental impact. This study reports on the preliminary investigation into surface chemistry using biosurfactants as facilitators for the biodegradation process of LDPE. Synthesized biosurfactants from isolated soil microbes, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used in the biodegradation study along with pure cultures of the organisms themselves. 0.84mg/ml was the highest amount of biosurfactant synthesized under static conditions at 25°C. Supplementing with biosurfactants increased the biodegradation efficiency by at least 1.2 % compared to using the microbes alone during a 30 d incubation period. Percentage weight loss of LDPE bags was used as a measure of biodegradation in this study and 3.3% weight loss was the highest observed for a single organism when augmented with biosurfactants compared to 1.9% when used alone.