By School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD)
7 October, 2024: Miss Pornya Khampratueng, a PhD Scholar in the Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology (FEBT) academic program at the School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD), AIT is leading a research on microbial solutions for sustainable plastic degradation under the supervision of Prof. Anil Kumar Anal. Prof. Anil affiliated with the Department of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources is an expert in Food and Bioprocess Technology and leads research at AIT focused on biotechnological solutions to reduce and repurpose agro-industrial waste, including plastics.
The global plastic pollution crisis has caused severe harm to ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. Plastics, especially those used in food packaging, contribute significantly to environmental waste. With the world’s population expected to rise by 2050, the demand for food and packaging will increase by 50%, further amplifying the problem. Plastics such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), commonly used in packaging, are resistant to natural degradation, causing them to persist in landfills and natural habitats for decades. Current waste management solutions, including physical processing, chemical recycling, thermal recycling, and landfilling, are energy-intensive, expensive, and often produce harmful by-products including micro- and nano plastics. This creates a pressing need for more sustainable and efficient solutions to tackle plastic pollution.
Addressing this challenge, Miss Khampratueng’s research explores the use of microorganisms to sustainably degrade plastics. The study’s objective was to identify effective microbial strains, assess their biodegradation capacity, understand the mechanisms behind the biodegradation of LDPE, and enhance the process. Two promising bacterial strains, Bacillus sp. AS3 and Sphingobacterium sp. AS8, were isolated from a dumping site at AIT. These strains exhibited significant potential to degrade LDPE, a material known for its durability and resistance to degradation. The research team then combined the strains into a novel bacterial consortium named AS3-8, which successfully reduced LDPE weight significantly in one month of incubation. LDPE exhibited notable physical changes including cracks and a rough surface structure due to biofilm formation by the bacterial strains. The depolymerized materials from biologically degraded plastics will have potential applications in pharmaceutical, food and petrochemical industries.
This innovative research offers a sustainable approach to managing plastic waste, highlighting the immense potential of natural microbial solutions. By leveraging microorganisms, we can move toward a cleaner, healthier environment and make substantial progress in addressing the plastic pollution crisis. The research has recently been published in the journal Discover Applied Sciences and is accessible via this link.
The bacterial strains Bacillus sp. AS3 and Sphingobacterium sp. AS8 represent a breakthrough in bioremediation technology for LDPE degradation. The complete biodegradation process has the potential to generate zero waste, making it an environmentally sustainable solution.The next step in this research is to scale up this process for broader applications, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, which focuses on bioremediation strategies to minimize plastic waste and encourage sustainable resource use.
- SDG 13: Climate Action, which emphasizes reducing plastic pollution to mitigate climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production and disposal.
- SDG 14: Life Below Water, which prioritizes conservation and the sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources to ensure their health and productivity for current and future generations.
- SDG 15: Life on Land, which stresses the importance of plastic degradation for protecting ecosystems and reducing threats to wildlife and biodiversity.
While microbial degradation of plastics holds great promise, the efficiency of microbial processes varies across different types of plastics. Despite progress, there remain gaps in understanding the mechanisms and optimizing the degradation rates. Addressing these challenges is essential to develop targeted strategies for different types of plastics. This research provides valuable insights into identifying microorganisms with high potential for LDPE degradation and stresses the importance of scaling microbial strains and industrial enzyme production for plastic waste management.
Read the complete research in the link below:
Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene by the bacterial strains isolated from the dumping site community
