Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
The ever-increasing accumulation of plastic waste has emerged as a critical global environmental concern, posing severe threats to humans, animals, and ecosystems due to the recalcitrant nature and slow degradation rate of plastics. Among various remediation strategies, microbial biodegradation offers a sustainable and eco-friendly solution. Biodegradation involves the breakdown of complex polymers into simpler compounds that can be assimilated by microbial cells for energy and growth. In the present study, the biodegradation potential of soil-isolated microorganisms, including Bacillus sp., Streptococcus sp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus sp., was investigated against polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the sole carbon source. Microbial isolates were obtained through serial dilution techniques and inoculated in liquid culture flasks containing PET films. The efficiency of bacterial strains in degrading PET was evaluated by monitoring changes in total dissolved solids (TDS), which ranged from 179.3 mg/L to 285.6 mg/L during incubation, and by determining the percentage of plastic weight loss. Morphological and biochemical characterizations, including Gram staining and assays for lipase, mannitol, citrate, catalase, and oxidase activities, were used to identify and confirm bacterial strains. Among the tested isolates, Pseudomonas sp. exhibited the highest degradation efficiency, achieving a 4.2% weight loss after 60 days, whereas Staphylococcus sp. showed the lowest at 2.5%. These findings highlight the potential of specific bacterial strains, particularly Pseudomonas sp., for use in the biodegradation of PET and the development of microbial strategies to mitigate plastic pollution.