Abstract
This work proposes the purification of an active and efficient enzyme, extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-depolymerase, suitable for industrial applications. This is achieved by the application of an easy, fast, and cheap route, skipping the chromatography step. Chromatography with one or two columns is a common step in the purification procedure, which however renders the isolation of the enzyme a time consuming and an expensive process. A strain of the fungus Penicillium pinophilum (ATCC 9644) is used for the isolation of extracellular PHB-depolymerase. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme is about 35 kDa and is estimated by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE, 12% polyacrylamide). The enzymatic activity of the isolated enzyme is determined to be 3.56-fold similar to that found by other researchers that have used chromatography for the isolation. The as-isolated enzyme disintegrates the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) films successfully, as it is demonstrated by the biodegradation test results provided here.
Highlights
Plastics use in modern life has created solid-waste problems that generate skepticism for their growing use
Biodegradable polymers (BPs) disposed in bioactive environments degrade by the enzymatic action of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae [2]
The enzyme production depends on the culture time and the temperature at which the microorganism grows
Summary
Plastics use in modern life has created solid-waste problems that generate skepticism for their growing use. In order to solve these problems, many methods have been employed, such as incineration, recycling, landfill disposal, and biodegradation [1]. Biodegradation is degradation caused by biological activity, by enzyme action, leading to significant changes in the material’s chemical structure [2]. Biodegradation may be the most effective solution for the plastic-waste problem, because it is environmentally friendly and there are no dangerous by-products. Biodegradable polymers have attracted the interest of the scientific community. Biodegradable polymers (BPs) disposed in bioactive environments degrade by the enzymatic action of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae [2]
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