Rubber gloves biodegradation by a consortium, mixed culture and pure culture isolated from soil samples

Abstract

An increasing production of natural rubber (NR) products has led to major challenges in waste management. In this study, the degradation of rubber latex gloves in a mineral salt medium (MSM) using a bacterial consortium, a mixed culture of the selected bacteria and a pure culture were studied. The highest 18% weight loss of the rubber gloves were detected after incubated with the mixed culture. The increased viable cell counts over incubation time indicated that cells used rubber gloves as sole carbon source leading to the degradation of the polymer. The growth behavior of NR-degrading bacteria on the latex gloves surface was investigated using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The occurrence of the aldehyde groups in the degradation products was observed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis. Rhodococcus pyridinivorans strain F5 gave the highest weight loss of rubber gloves among the isolated strain and posses latex clearing protein encoded by lcp gene. The mixed culture of the selected strains showed the potential in degrading rubber within 30 days and is considered to be used efficiently for rubber product degradation. This is the first report to demonstrate a strong ability to degrade rubber by Rhodococcus pyridinivorans.

Development and Characterization of Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Natural Rubber

“…Natural rubber latex gloves can be disposed of by either landfill or incineration, which are not harmful to the environment. Recently, it was shown that the mixed culture isolated from soil samples collected from rubber contaminated ground in Songkhla province, Thailand had potential in degrading rubber, in which significant changes could be detected within 30 days [38]. In this study, the biodegradability of BC and the NR–BC films in soil is shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12.…”

Paraquat Degradation From Contaminated Environments: Current Achievements and Perspectives

“…These carbon sources can easily be utilized by bacteria and accelerate their growth during lag phase. Some studies have revealed that the use of mixed bacterial culture (consortium) resulted in enhanced degradation of pollutants as mixed bacterial culture follows co-metabolism for pollutant degradation (Nawong et al, 2018; Tian et al, 2018). Li et al (2017) used four microorganisms including Roseateles terrae , Bacillus sp., Escherichia coli , and P. fluorescens , in a mixed culture for paraquat degradation, and achieved 97% degradation of initial paraquat dose (100 mg/L) over 7 days.…”

Rubber oxygenases

“…35Y) and R. gummiphilus NS21 have the ability to form clearing zones on polyisoprene latex agar (Jendrossek et al 1997 ; Braaz et al 2004 ; Rose et al 2005 ; Imai et al 2011 ). Interestingly, other potent rubber degraders such as Gordonia polyisoprenivorans VH2, Gordonia westfalica Kb2, Nocardia farcinica , Nocardia nova SH22a and Rhodococcus rhodochrous RPK1 or Rhodococcus pyridinivorans F5 do not form clearing zones on latex agar (Ibrahim et al 2006 ; Warneke et al 2007 ; Bröker et al 2008 ; Luo et al 2014 ; Watcharakul et al 2016 ; Nawong et al 2018 ). Non-clearing zone-forming rubber degraders grow adhesively on the rubber surface and produce no visible clearing zone as shown by electron microscopy (Linos et al 2000 ).…”