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The Rising Tide of Plastic Pollution: Exploring Bacillus sp. for Sustainable Microbial Degradation of Polyethylene

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Abstract

The global production of plastic has reached unprecedented levels, with polyethylene (PE) being one of the most widely used polymers, accounting for the largest market share. However, the extensive usage of PE has led to significant environmental challenges due to its recalcitrant nature and resistance to degradation. To address this pressing issue, effective degradation processes for PE are essential. Physical and chemical degradation routes for PE are discussed, but microbial degradation emerges as a promising, eco-friendly approach to tackle plastic waste. However, the widespread use of transparent and non-transparent high-density polyethylene (HDPE) presents another challenge in their disposal alongside complex mixtures of wet waste, making their separation difficult. Notably, Bacillus sp. has garnered attention for its potential in biodegradation abilities for various petroleum-based plastics, including PE. This study addresses the gap in HDPE biodegradation research by comparing the degradation of transparent and non-transparent HDPE using Bacillus sp. The biodegradation treatment process involved inoculating bacterial cultures into PE sheets as a carbon source and monitoring their cell growth over 125 days under controlled conditions. Furthermore, the post-degradation PE was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, surface roughness evaluation, tensile testing, and X-ray diffraction for crystallinity calculation. Bacillus sp. effectively degraded both T-PE and NT-PE, with 1.97% and 4.66% weight loss, respectively. The crystallinity of T-PE was higher than NT-PE, potentially hindering bacterial degradation. Biofilm formation, decrease in tensile strength, and surface erosion further supported the degradation process, making Bacillus sp. a potential candidate for plastic waste management.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express sincere gratitude to the University of Utah-College of Mines and Earth Science Seed Grant Program for providing the support to this research work. The authors would also like to thank Paulo Perez for his assistance with the operation of the roughness test instrument, and to Kimberly Watts for her support in conducting the tensile test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Rahulkumar Sunil Singh, Michael L. Free & Prashant K. Sarswat

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Eddie Bryan Gilcrease & Ramesh Goel

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  1. Rahulkumar Sunil Singh
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  2. Eddie Bryan Gilcrease
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  3. Ramesh Goel
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  5. Prashant K. Sarswat
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Contributions

Rahulkumar Sunil Singh conceptualized the methodology of the investigation, curated the data, and wrote the original draft. Eddie Gilcrease and Ramesh Goel assisted in the growth and monitoring of the bacteria culture. Michael Free supported with some of the research facilities and analysis. Prashant Sarswat acquired funding, supervised the project work, provided regular guidance for investigation, and edited the text and figures in the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Prashant K. Sarswat.

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The authors disclose that they have no financial or personal interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported for this research publication.

Disclaimer

The Bacillus sp. strain used in this study, obtained from the ATCC, is certified as BSL-1 and intended for laboratory research use only. The focus of this investigation was to comparatively evaluate the biodegradation behavior of transparent and non-transparent polyethylene using this strain. While our study provides insights into the metabolic capabilities and potential biodegradation with this strain, we recognize the importance of considering practicality and safety when applying our findings in real-world environmental settings. Further research and assessment are necessary to fully understand the strain's virulence and its implications for environmental applications. Handling may require higher BSL facilities and adherence to biosafety protocols is recommended.

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Singh, R.S., Gilcrease, E.B., Goel, R. et al. The Rising Tide of Plastic Pollution: Exploring Bacillus sp. for Sustainable Microbial Degradation of Polyethylene. J Polym Environ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-024-03236-2

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