Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge

Abstract Plastic (polyethylene) pollution is a severe cause of deterioration of a healthy environment. For example, ingestion of plastics in the animal gut, clogging of water canals and retarded solid waste management. Many conventional methods of polyethylene degradation include UV photooxidation,...

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Autores principales:	Elumalai Sanniyasi, Rajesh Kanna Gopal, Dinesh Kumar Gunasekar, Preethy P. Raj
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/e5cb1c357eb345e4ab08c402ec61041c
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:e5cb1c357eb345e4ab08c402ec61041c2021-12-02T15:09:16ZBiodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge10.1038/s41598-021-96315-62045-2322https://doaj.org/article/e5cb1c357eb345e4ab08c402ec61041c2021-08-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96315-6https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Plastic (polyethylene) pollution is a severe cause of deterioration of a healthy environment. For example, ingestion of plastics in the animal gut, clogging of water canals and retarded solid waste management. Many conventional methods of polyethylene degradation include UV photooxidation, thermal oxidation, incineration, chemical oxidation and landfill are being practiced. However, these methods are not feasible, costlier and not a complete solution for this global issue. Therefore, plausible, alternative solution for this issue is biodegradation. Microbes such as bacteria, fungi and algae are involved in polyethylene degradation in its natural habitat. Among them, algae were given very less importance. In our present study, a potential microalga, morphologically identified as Uronema africanum Borge, isolated from a waste plastic bag collected from a domestic waste dumping site in a freshwater lake. This microalga was further treated with the LDPE sheet in BBM culture medium. Based on the results obtained from light microscopy, dark field microscopy, GC–MS, FT-IR, SEM and AFM, it was concluded that the microalga has initiated degradation of LDPE sheet within 30 days of incubation. Concurrently, the configuration of corrosions, abrasions, grooves and ridges were found similar with the morphological features of the microalga. For example, the configuration of the radial disc-like attachment structure of the microalga was found corresponding to the abrasions on the surface of LDPE sheet at an average size of 20–30 µm in diameter. Whereas, the configuration of ridges and grooves were found similar with the filamentous nature of the microalga (10–15 µm width). This is a hitherto report on the biodegradation of LDPE sheet by the microalga Uronema africanum Borge.Elumalai SanniyasiRajesh Kanna GopalDinesh Kumar GunasekarPreethy P. RajNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-33 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Elumalai Sanniyasi Rajesh Kanna Gopal Dinesh Kumar Gunasekar Preethy P. Raj Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
description	Abstract Plastic (polyethylene) pollution is a severe cause of deterioration of a healthy environment. For example, ingestion of plastics in the animal gut, clogging of water canals and retarded solid waste management. Many conventional methods of polyethylene degradation include UV photooxidation, thermal oxidation, incineration, chemical oxidation and landfill are being practiced. However, these methods are not feasible, costlier and not a complete solution for this global issue. Therefore, plausible, alternative solution for this issue is biodegradation. Microbes such as bacteria, fungi and algae are involved in polyethylene degradation in its natural habitat. Among them, algae were given very less importance. In our present study, a potential microalga, morphologically identified as Uronema africanum Borge, isolated from a waste plastic bag collected from a domestic waste dumping site in a freshwater lake. This microalga was further treated with the LDPE sheet in BBM culture medium. Based on the results obtained from light microscopy, dark field microscopy, GC–MS, FT-IR, SEM and AFM, it was concluded that the microalga has initiated degradation of LDPE sheet within 30 days of incubation. Concurrently, the configuration of corrosions, abrasions, grooves and ridges were found similar with the morphological features of the microalga. For example, the configuration of the radial disc-like attachment structure of the microalga was found corresponding to the abrasions on the surface of LDPE sheet at an average size of 20–30 µm in diameter. Whereas, the configuration of ridges and grooves were found similar with the filamentous nature of the microalga (10–15 µm width). This is a hitherto report on the biodegradation of LDPE sheet by the microalga Uronema africanum Borge.
format	article
author	Elumalai Sanniyasi Rajesh Kanna Gopal Dinesh Kumar Gunasekar Preethy P. Raj
author_facet	Elumalai Sanniyasi Rajesh Kanna Gopal Dinesh Kumar Gunasekar Preethy P. Raj
author_sort	Elumalai Sanniyasi
title	Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
title_short	Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
title_full	Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
title_fullStr	Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
title_full_unstemmed	Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge
title_sort	biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (ldpe) sheet by microalga, uronema africanum borge
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/e5cb1c357eb345e4ab08c402ec61041c
work_keys_str_mv	AT elumalaisanniyasi biodegradationoflowdensitypolyethyleneldpesheetbymicroalgauronemaafricanumborge AT rajeshkannagopal biodegradationoflowdensitypolyethyleneldpesheetbymicroalgauronemaafricanumborge AT dineshkumargunasekar biodegradationoflowdensitypolyethyleneldpesheetbymicroalgauronemaafricanumborge AT preethypraj biodegradationoflowdensitypolyethyleneldpesheetbymicroalgauronemaafricanumborge
_version_	1718387848408727552

Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet by microalga, Uronema africanum Borge

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