The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Xenobiotic Polymer Degradation by Microorganisms

Kawai, Fusako

doi:10.1271/bbb.100394

Cited by 63 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…Alcohol dehydrogenase of strain Rhodopseudomonas acidophilia M402 seemed to hydrolyze PEGs. Kawai et al (2010) identified five genes in peg operon system genes that are responsible for PEG degradation, and they were recognized and cloned. These genes, in the presence of PEG and araC, act as a regulator.…”

Section: Polyethylene Glycolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review on the current status of polymer degradation: a microbial approach

Pathak

Bithel

2017

Bioresour. Bioprocess.

596

241

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Inertness and the indiscriminate use of synthetic polymers leading to increased land and water pollution are of great concern. Plastic is the most useful synthetic polymer, employed in wide range of applications viz. the packaging industries, agriculture, household practices, etc. Unpredicted use of synthetic polymers is leading towards the accumulation of increased solid waste in the natural environment. This affects the natural system and creates various environmental hazards. Plastics are seen as an environmental threat because they are difficult to degrade. This review describes the occurrence and distribution of microbes that are involved in the degradation of both natural and synthetic polymers. Much interest is generated by the degradation of existing plastics using microorganisms. It seems that biological agents and their metabolic enzymes can be exploited as a potent tool for polymer degradation. Bacterial and fungal species are the most abundant biological agents found in nature and have distinct degradation abilities for natural and synthetic polymers.

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Section: Polyethylene Glycolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review on the current status of polymer degradation: a microbial approach

Pathak

Bithel

2017

Bioresour. Bioprocess.

596

241

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“…The PVADH is also designated with the systematic name polyvinyl alcohol: ferricytochrome-c oxidoreductase, which reflects the observation that the enzymatic oxidation of PVA is coupled to the respiratory chain of the microbe via the heme-containing redoxprotein cytochrome c. Such a coupling could not be observed with PVA oxidases. Although PVADH could be successfully cloned and heterologously expressed [75], a non-quino-hemoprotein PVA oxidase has not yet been cloned [76].…”

Section: Enzymesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradability of Poly(vinyl acetate) and Related Polymers

Amann

Minge

2011

Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers

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This chapter deals with the biodegradability of vinyl ester-based polymers with a special emphasis on poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl alcohol). A proper discussion of the importance of the biodegradability of a certain polymer class cannot be made without understanding the impact that polymer class has on the environment. Therefore, apart from discussing the actual biodegradation mechanisms, other issues will be addressed. These include, but are not limited to, how long the class of vinyl ester-based polymers has been known and produced on an industrial scale, what quantities are produced and released into the environment each year, and what applications are addressed with this polymer class. We will also look at the general physical and chemical properties of this polymer class and how these properties can influence biodegradability. After a discussion of what "biodegradability" actually means -and what not -the mechanisms for the biodegradation of poly(vinyl ester)s will be discussed in more detail and a summary given of the biological systems able to process poly(vinyl ester)s.

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“…Therefore, the mixture of the soil and leachate microorganisms exerted a synergistic effect on the PVA film. According to Kawai (2010), microbial consortia must contribute to the degradation processes in the environment, rather than individual microorganisms, due to metabolic processes, ecological cycles and biological communities.…”

Section: Determination Of the Pva Concentration After Biodegradationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was found that even in the case of blends with higher crystallinity, the presence of functional groups was more important than the crystallinity, due to the hydrolysis of ester groups, which triggered the biological degradation in the amorphous phase. It is known that the biodegradation is determined by the chemical structure and physicochemical properties and not by their origins, whether natural or artificial (Kawai, 2010).…”

Section: Pva Hydrolysismentioning

confidence: 99%