Microbial degradation of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate using landfill soils

✍ Scribed by M. Tansengco; I. Dogma Jr.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 805 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0138-4988
• DOI: 10.1002/abio.370190302

✦ Synopsis

The population of poly-phydroxybutyrate-degrading microorganisms and the biodegradation of PHB in local landfill soils were examined in vitro and in viv0. Forty-two PHB-degraders consisting of 12 bacteria, 25 actinomycetes and 5 moulds were isolated. The total PHB-degraders averaged 4.7 x lo7 and 20x 104 colony forming units (cfu)/g for San Mateo wet and dry soils, respectively, and 2.3 x lo7 and 8.5 x 104 c f d g for Carmona wet and dry samples, respectively. The PHB-degraders formed 659% of the total microbial population in San Mateo and 8 4 2 % in Carmona. Complete (100%) degradation of PHB powder was observed for Chryseomonas-27 andAspergillus-39 on day 5 in shake flask culture and for Srrepromyces-4 on day 7. Burial test in landfill soils showed a 9 6 9 1 % weight loss of PHB film strips within four weeks; the weight loss of polypropylene film strips was up to 0.12% only. Scanning electron micrographs of degraded films revealed the attachment of microbial cells and fungal mycelium and spores on the surfaces. Holes and cavities were also noted due to the microbial degradation processes.