Assessment of potential plastic-degrading fungi in Jordanian habitats

Authors : İbrahim N IBRAHIM, Anwar MARAQA, Khalid M HAMEED, Ismail M SAADOUN, Hamzah M MASWADEH

Pages : 551-557

View : 18 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2011-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Out of 70 fungal isolates recovered from soil, wall paints insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Latex);, and pieces of plastic debris from different habitats in Jordan and plastic shields of street light posts on campus, 35 isolates showed varied potential to degrade polyester-polyurethane insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PS-PUR);. Six of these isolates insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Fusarium solani, Alternaria solani, Spicaria spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus flavus); were selected on the basis of their growth rates on basal salt media amended with PS-PUR as the sole source of carbon. Isolates were further evaluated utilizing 3 different methods: 1); direct plating, 2); clear zone in a 2-layered agar media, and 3); liquid shaking culture. These isolates caused significant weight loss in the PS-PUR blocks in the shaken cultures, reaching up to 100% in case of the isolate Fusarium solani. The petri dish test method revealed a maximum degradation activity achieved by the isolate Aspergillus flavus, which caused 94% loss in weight of PS-PUR pieces. However, only 4 isolates insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Fusarium solani, Spicaria spp., Alternaria solani, and Aspergillus flavus); yielded positive results of biodegradation, indicated by clear zones created due to PS-PUR hydrolysis in 2-layered agar culture plate media. Out of the 6 fungal isolates reported here, 2 novel organisms have not been previously reported, Alternaria solani and Spicaria spp. Overall, these findings helped identify predominant as well as novel fungi in Jordanian habitats that play a key role in PS-PUR degradation.
Keywords : Key words Polyurethane PUR, Fusarium solani, Alternaria solani, Spicaria spp, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus flavus