A review of biodegradation of synthetic plastic and foams

Gautam, Rajeeb; Bassi, Amarjeet; Yanful, Ernest K.

doi:10.1007/s12010-007-9212-6

Cited by 176 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Further BLAST analysis of the actin and translation elongation factor 1␣ partial sequences from these six strains showed the highest matches with the following species: T1.PL.1 with Cladosporium pseudocladosporioides, A2.PP.5 and A3.I.1 with Cladosporium tenuissimum, BP8.I. 3 …”

Section: Isolation Of Fungimentioning

confidence: 95%

Biodegradative Activities of Selected Environmental Fungi on a Polyester Polyurethane Varnish and Polyether Polyurethane Foams

Álvarez-Barragán

Domínguez-Malfavón

Vargas-Suárez

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

206

111

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Polyurethane (PU) is widely used in many aspects of modern life because of its versatility and resistance. However, PU waste disposal generates large problems, since it is slowly degraded, there are limited recycling processes, and its destruction may generate toxic compounds. In this work, we isolated fungal strains able to grow in mineral medium with a polyester PU (PS-PU; Impranil DLN) or a polyether PU (PE-PU; Poly Lack) varnish as the only carbon source. Of the eight best Impranil-degrading strains, the six best degraders belonged to the Cladosporium cladosporioides complex, including the species C. pseudocladosporioides, C. tenuissimum, C. asperulatum, and C. montecillanum, and the two others were identified as Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium chrysogenum. The best Impranil degrader, C. pseudocladosporioides strain T1.PL.1, degraded up to 87% after 14 days of incubation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis of Impranil degradation by this strain showed a loss of carbonyl groups (1,729 cm ؊1 ) and NOH bonds (1,540 and 1,261 cm ؊1 ), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed a decrease in ester compounds and increase in alcohols and hexane diisocyanate, indicating the hydrolysis of ester and urethane bonds. Extracellular esterase and low urease, but not protease activities were detected at 7 and 14 days of culture in Impranil. The best eight Impranil-degrading fungi were also able to degrade solid foams of the highly recalcitrant PE-PU type to different extents, with the highest levels generating up to 65% of dry-weight losses not previously reported. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of fungus-treated foams showed melted and thinner cell wall structures than the non-fungus-treated ones, demonstrating fungal biodegradative action on PE-PU. IMPORTANCEPolyurethane waste disposal has become a serious problem. In this work, fungal strains able to efficiently degrade different types of polyurethanes are reported, and their biodegradative activity was studied by different experimental approaches. Varnish biodegradation analyses showed that fungi were able to break down the polymer in some of their precursors, offering the possibility that they may be recovered and used for new polyurethane synthesis. Also, the levels of degradation of solid polyether polyurethane foams reported in this work have never been observed previously. Isolation of efficient polyurethane-degrading microorganisms and delving into the mechanisms they used to degrade the polymer provide the basis for the development of biotechnological processes for polyurethane biodegradation and recycling. P olyurethane (PU), one of the most versatile polymers invented by humans, is synthesized from a wide variety of precursors generating almost infinite types of materials, from elastomers and varnishes to highly resistant components, such as automotive parts, foams, semirigid plastics, and textile fibers. Due to their versatility, PUs are widely used in different human activities as a substit...

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Section: Isolation Of Fungimentioning

confidence: 95%

Biodegradative Activities of Selected Environmental Fungi on a Polyester Polyurethane Varnish and Polyether Polyurethane Foams

Álvarez-Barragán

Domínguez-Malfavón

Vargas-Suárez

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

206

111

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“…Polymeric foams are difficult to transport and recycle because of their low densities and bulky volumes. Gautam et al (2007) studied the biological degradation of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and reported that EPS does not undergo short-term biodegradation in the presence of fungi and microorganisms and requires many years to decompose 5 . Biodegradable packaging composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) foam shows promise as an alternative, with a lower environmental impact than conventional EPS packaging.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observations of the effects of different chemical blowing agents on the degradation of poly(lactic acid) foams in simulated soil

et al. 2013

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This work examined the influence of different chemical blowing agents (CBA), one endothermic and one exothermic, at the same concentration (2% by mass), on poly(acid lactic), PLA foams. The CBA was incorporated into the PLA in a single-screw extruder, and the foams were expanded by heating in an electric oven under free pressure conditions. Foam degradation in a simulated soil was performed according to the ASTM G160-03 standard. Changes in the physical-chemical, morphological and mechanical properties were used to evaluate the degradation. The results indicated that the different chemical blowing agents led to different mechanical and morphological properties for the foams, which resulted from the nature and decomposition rate of the blowing agents. Cells in the foams accelerated the degradation since they facilitated the infiltration of water toward the interior of the polymer and triggered the degradation process by hydrolysis.

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“…The important bacteria in the biodegradation process include, interalia, Bacillus (capable of producing thick-walled endospores that are resistant to heat, radiation, and chemical disinfection), Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Actinomycetes, Nocardia, Streptomyces, Thermoactinomycetes, Micromonospora, Mycobacterium, Rhodococcus, Flavobacterium, Comamonas, Escherichia, Azotobacter, and Alcaligenes (some of them can accumulate polymer up to 90% of their dry mass) [97,100,101]. Fungi that are active in the biodegradation process are Sporotrichum, Talaromyces, Phanerochaete, Ganoderma, Thermoascus, Thielavia, Paecilomyces, Thermomyces, Geotrichum, Cladosporium, Phlebia, Trametes, Candida, Penicillium, Chaetomium, and Aerobasidium [102,103].…”

Section: Biodegradationmentioning

confidence: 99%