EFFECT OF PSEUDOMONAS BACTERIA ON BIODEGRADATION OF POLYMER STRUCTURES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15421/jchemtech.v34i1.343423Keywords:
biodestruction; polymer composite materials; biodegradable polymers; soil; biomass; bacteria; technogenic pollution; soil protection technologies, vermiculture.Abstract
The growing accumulation of polymer waste has become a global environmental challenge, necessitating the development of sustainable mitigation strategies. Bioremediation, based on the use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants in soil and water, is considered a promising approach. This study provides a theoretical analysis of current research on the ability of soil microbiota to decompose synthetic polymers and proposes a method for polymer waste degradation using a combined biological system. The approach involves the joint application of Eisenia foetida culture and bacterial strains of the genus Pseudomonas. Polymer–polymer blends based on corn starch were selected as model materials, specifically ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE). Experimental substrate variants were inoculated with Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca UKM-9 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aureofaciens UKM B-109 at a concentration of 1.1×10⁷ CFU/g of dry substrate. The results demonstrated that E. foetida significantly enhances microbial development, increasing the total microbial count from 10⁷ to 10⁹ CFU/g. This indicates a high adaptive potential of the microbiota to substrates obtained via vermiculture. The biochemical characteristics and taxonomic affiliation of the bacterial strains were confirmed using the oxidase test. It was established that physicochemical parameters of the substrate, including temperature, moisture, electrical conductivity, and pH, play a key role in regulating microbial activity and growth. Significant changes in electrical conductivity (up to 3999 μS/cm in CPE samples) suggest polymer bond cleavage, ion release, and the formation of soluble degradation products. Optical analysis confirmed substantial biodegradation levels, reaching 72.1 % for CPE and 67 % for EVA. The findings demonstrate the high efficiency of combined biological systems in polymer degradation and underline their potential for developing environmentally safe technologies for the management of synthetic polymer waste.
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