Marine microbe-mediated biodegradation of low- and high-density polyethylenes

Sudhakar, M.; Doble, Mukesh; Murthy, P. Sriyutha; Venkatesan, R.

doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2007.07.011

Cited by 337 publications

(219 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Chain scissions may occur due to oxidation by dissolved oxygen in the soil. The carbonyl index decreases after longer exposures, which could be due to the consumption of the carbonyl groups by microorganisms and/or the formation of esters or the occurrence of the Norrish mechanism 32,33 . The presence of carbonyl groups, such as esters, carboxylic acids, aldehydes and ketones, in a degraded polymer may indicate oxidation and that the material is more vulnerable to degradation 34 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior in simulated soil of recycled expanded polystyrene/waste cotton composites

et al. 2013

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Composites consisting of waste cotton yarn (CF) from the textile industry and postconsumer expanded polystyrene (EPS) was followed during 90 days of exposure in simulated soil. The mechanical properties, morphologies and chemical natures of the composites were determined before and after exposure in simulated soil. The composites were made using a single-screw extrusion, a twin-screw extrusion and injection molding. The composites showed an increase of the mechanical properties nearly 50% in relation to the recycled expanded polystyrene (rEPS). After exposure in simulated soil the composites presented losses of mechanical properties. Evidence of the oxidation of the samples was demonstrated by the increase in the values of the carbonyl index after 30 days of exposure in simulated soil. Changes in the color of the surface of the sample were observed after 90 days of exposure and are due to the fungi and bacteria colonization on the surface.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior in simulated soil of recycled expanded polystyrene/waste cotton composites

et al. 2013

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“…Degradation of LDPE, HDPE, and a blend of LDPE and starch were investigated in controlled laboratory conditions with seawater and microorganism from the sea. It was found that the addition of natural polymers improved weight loss of starch blended materials as compared to conventional ones (Sudhakar et al 2008). In a study that compared polyethylene with and without pro-degradant, it was concluded that the introduction of pro-degradant improves biodegradability (Muthukumar et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degradation of Conventional and Oxodegradable High Density Polyethylene in Tropical Aqueous and Outdoor Environments

Villamizar

Vázquez‐Morillas

2018

Rev. Int. Contam. Ambie.

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Polyethylene is widely used in packaging due to its chemical stability, lightness, impermeability and low cost. However, these properties become questionable when it is discarded. Oxodegradable plastics, which degrade by an abiotic-biotic process, have been promoted as a solution to the pollution caused by plastics. This research assesses the degradability of conventional and oxodegradable high density polyethylene in marine, freshwater, and outdoor tropical environments. Samples of these plastics, with and without previous abiotic degradation, were exposed to direct weathering in the Caribbean Sea and the Magdalena River, in Colombia. Their degradation was evaluated during six months by the formation of carbonyl groups, a decrease in elongation at break and visual evidence of deterioration. We found faster degradation for outdoor, followed by marine and freshwater conditions, evidencing that UV and temperature are the most relevant promoters of degradation, especially for oxodegradable plastics, as evidenced by the increase in carbonyl index. In aqueous environments, all specimens showed the formation of biofilm and in some cases cracks and fragmentation, especially in oxidized oxodegradable high density polyethylene specimens in the marine environment. Even if oxodegradables plastics, and in a lesser degree conventional ones, began their degradation process, they did not achieve complete disintegration or mineralization, due to lack of environmental conditions that can only be guaranteed in carefully monitored waste management systems.Palabras clave: contaminación por plásticos, microplásticos, ambientes acuáticos, fotooxidación RESUMENEl polietileno se utiliza ampliamente en el envasado debido a su estabilidad química, ligereza, impermeabilidad y bajo costo. Sin embargo, estas propiedades son cuestionables cuando se desecha. Los plásticos oxodegradables, que se degradan por un proceso abiótico-biótico, se han promovido como solución. Esta investigación evalúa la capacidad de descomposición del polietileno convencional de alta densidad y el oxodegradable en ambientes tropicales marinos, de agua dulce y a la intemperie. Las C.A. Arias-Villamizar and A. Vázquez-Morillas 138 muestras de polietileno convencional y oxodegradable, con y sin degradación abiótica previa, se expusieron en directo a la intemperie, en el mar Caribe y en el río Magdalena, en Colombia. Se evaluó su degradación durante seis meses por la formación de grupos carbonilo, la disminución del porcentaje de elongación a la ruptura y mediante evidencias visuales de deterioro. Se encontró degradación más rápida para las condiciones al aire libre, lo que demuestra que la radiación UV y el perfil de temperatura son los promotores más pertinentes de la degradación, especialmente en plásticos oxodegradables, como se evidencia por el aumento en el índice de carbonilo. En sistemas acuosos, todas las probetas exhibieron biopelícula, en algunos casos se encontraron grietas y se observó fragmentación. Especialmente se encontró este comportamiento en l...

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“…Another application for the SISI might be the incubation of water samples containing microplastics, whose higher abundance in the SML, compared to underlying water, has been recently described [47]. Bacterial colonization of polymer-based materials and biofilm formation [48], as well as microbial degradation of microplastic particles [49], constitute highly topical research areas that could be further investigated using the SISI.…”

Section: Future Research Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

SISI: A New Device for In Situ Incubations at the Ocean Surface

Rahlff

Stolle

Wurl

2017

JMSE

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Abstract:The sea-surface microlayer (SML) forms the uppermost boundary layer between atmosphere and ocean, and has distinctive physico-chemical and biological features compared to the underlying water. First findings on metabolic contributions of microorganisms to gas exchange processes across the SML raised the need for new in situ technologies to explore plankton-oxygen turnover in this special habitat. Here, we describe an inexpensive research tool, the Surface In Situ Incubator (SISI), which allows simultaneous incubations of the SML, and water samples from 1 m and 5 m, at the respective depths of origin. The SISI is deployed from a small boat, seaworthy up to 5 bft (Beaufort scale), and due to global positioning system (GPS) tracking, capable of drifting freely for hours or days. We tested the SISI by applying light/dark bottle incubations in the Baltic Sea and the tropical Pacific Ocean under various conditions to present first data on planktonic oxygen turnover rates within the SML, and two subsurface depths. The SISI offers the potential to study plankton-oxygen turnover within the SML under the natural influence of abiotic parameters, and hence, is a valuable tool to routinely monitor their physiological role in biogeochemical cycling and gas exchange processes at, and near, the sea surface.

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Marine microbe-mediated biodegradation of low- and high-density polyethylenes

Cited by 337 publications

References 28 publications

Behavior in simulated soil of recycled expanded polystyrene/waste cotton composites

Behavior in simulated soil of recycled expanded polystyrene/waste cotton composites

Degradation of Conventional and Oxodegradable High Density Polyethylene in Tropical Aqueous and Outdoor Environments

SISI: A New Device for In Situ Incubations at the Ocean Surface

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