Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the growth of Pleurotus ostreatus PLO6 using oxo-biodegradable plastics as a carbon and energy source. Oxo-biodegradable polymers contain pro-oxidants that accelerate their physical and biological degradation. These polymers were developed to decrease the accumulation of plastic waste in landfills. To study the degradation of the plastic polymers, oxo-biodegradable plastic bags were exposed to sunlight for up to 120 days, and fragments of these bags were used as substrates for P. ostreatus. We observed that physical treatment alone was not sufficient to initiate degradation. Instead, mechanical modifications and reduced titanium oxide (TiO2) concentrations caused by sunlight exposure triggered microbial degradation. The low specificity of lignocellulolytic enzymes and presence of endomycotic nitrogen-fixing microorganisms were also contributing factors in this process.
Highlights
Several Brazilian cities have banned the distribution of plastic bags by supermarkets and other commercial establishments because plastic bags can take a long time to degrade in dumps and landfills
Da Luz et al [9] showed that P. ostreatus degrades oxo-biodegradable plastic without any prior physical treatment, we found that sunlight modified the plastic’s mechanical properties and reduced its titanium oxide concentration (Table 1, Figure 1), both of which were important for fungal growth and biodegradation (Figures 4, 5 and 7)
We showed that P. ostreatus degraded oxo-biodegradable plastic (Figure 7) and reduced the dry mass of the substrates (Figure 6), mineralization of the samples was not complete
Summary
Several Brazilian cities have banned the distribution of plastic bags by supermarkets and other commercial establishments because plastic bags can take a long time to degrade in dumps and landfills. The biodegradability of a polymer is determined by its chemical structure and morphology [1]. Polyethylene, due to its high hydrophobicity and long carbon chains, is very resistant to biodegradation [1, 2]. Mineralization of this polymer takes more than 100 years [3]. In contrast to these petroleum-derived polymers, biodegradable polymers are cleaved by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0107438. In contrast to these petroleum-derived polymers, biodegradable polymers are cleaved by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0107438 November 24, 2014
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
