Biodegradation of Polyethylene by Enterobacter sp. D1 from the Guts of Wax Moth Galleria mellonella

Liu Ren, Lina Men, Zhiwei Zhang, Feifei Guan, Jian Tian, Bin Wang, Jihua Wang, Yuhong Zhang and Wei Zhang
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Liu Ren: College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 Shida Road., Limin Economic Development Zone, Harbin 150025, China
Lina Men: College of Forestry, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
Zhiwei Zhang: College of Forestry, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
Feifei Guan: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street., Beijing 100081, China
Jian Tian: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street., Beijing 100081, China
Bin Wang: Institute of Soil Fertilizer and Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
Jihua Wang: College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 Shida Road., Limin Economic Development Zone, Harbin 150025, China
Yuhong Zhang: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street., Beijing 100081, China
Wei Zhang: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street., Beijing 100081, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-11

Abstract: Plastic polymers are widely used in agriculture, industry, and our daily life because of their convenient and economic properties. However, pollution caused by plastic polymers, especially polyethylene (PE), affects both animal and human health when they aggregate in the environment, as they are not easily degraded under natural conditions. In this study, Enterobacter sp. D1 was isolated from the guts of wax moth ( Galleria mellonella ). Microbial colonies formed around a PE film after 14 days of cultivation with D1. Roughness, depressions, and cracks were detected on the surface of the PE film by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the presence of carbonyl functional groups and ether groups on the PE film that was treated with D1. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) also revealed that the contents of certain alcohols, esters, and acids were increased as a result of the D1 treatment, indicating that oxidation reaction occurred on the surface of the PE film treated with D1 bacteria. These observations confirmed that D1 bacteria has an ability to degrade PE.

Keywords: environmental impact; Enterobacter sp.; plastic biodegradation; polyethylene; wax moth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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