Identification of bacteria and fungi as potential biodegraders of plastics

Identificación de bacterias y hongos como potenciales biodegradadores de plásticos

Objective: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the biodegradative potential of bacteria and fungi on plastic, isolated from plastic wrappings damaged by time from garbage collection sites in the municipality of Valledupar.

Methodology: The research approach is quantitative. The research design is observational, analytical, prospective and transversal. Three samples were taken from plastic bags deteriorated by time, at a depth of 20 cm, were sown for pre-enrichment in a medium of mineral salts for 45 days, at three temperatures 30.5ºC, 35.1ºC and 27.3ºC, then enriched in a medium of inorganic compounds at pH 5, pH 7 and pH 8 in triplicate.

Results: Plastic biodegradation was observed in 41.2 % of the microbial consortium cultures, followed equally (29.4 %) in both bacteria and fungi. The bacteria identified as potential biodegraders were Serratia liquefaciens group, Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella aerogenes and the fungi Trichosporon mucoides and Candida ciferrii. Conclusions: It was possible to identify bacteria of the genus Serratia and Klebsiella and fungi of the genus Trichosporon and Candida, with the capacity to biodegrade plastics. This work allows for subsequent bioprospective studies and metabolic determination of the isolated microorganisms.