ISOLATION, SCREENING AND EVALUATION OF POLYETHYLENE DEGRADATION BY LYSINIBACILLUS MACROIDES

Abstract

Urbanization and economic development has led to increase in production of plastics. The increased production of plastics has resulted in the accumulation of plastics in the environment which leads to plastic pollution. The plastics are exposed to various weathering process and undergoes decomposition and leads to formation of microplastics. The Polyethylene is one of the microplastics which contributes to the maximum share of pollution and is very hazardous. The safe degradation of polyethylene can be done by microbial degradation. This study contemplated the extensiveness of plastic degradation by the use of microbes. The bacterial species were isolated from Plastic dumping grounds in Karad. The isolated and screened microbes were further evaluated for their degradation potential. The evaluation of polyethylene degaradtion potential was done by weight loss method, FTIR analysis and scanning electron microscopy. One bacterial isolate showed positive results which was later identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and it was found to be Lysinibacillus macroides