ATR-FTIR characterisation of daily-use plastics mycodegradation

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Polymer science

Background:

• Plastic pollution is a significant global environmental issue.
• Mycodegradation, using fungi to break down plastics, offers a promising biological solution.
• Limited knowledge exists on fungal plastic degradation capabilities and standardized analysis methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the plastic-degrading potential of four fungal species.
• To correlate gravimetric analysis with spectroscopic data for plastic deterioration.
• To identify effective fungi and plastic types for mycodegradation.

Main Methods:

• Four fungi (Funalia floccosa, Trametes versicolor, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Penicillium oxalicum) were tested on six common plastics.
• Gravimetry and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were used to assess degradation.
• Changes in chemical bonds (CH, CO, CN, NH, CCl) were monitored via FTIR.

Main Results:

• All four fungi demonstrated the ability to transform various chemical bonds in plastics.
• Funalia floccosa achieved the highest degradation rates: ~62.0% for high-density polyethylene, ~23.6% for low-density polyethylene, and ~35.6% for nylon after 90 days.
• A correlation was established between mass loss (gravimetry) and changes in FTIR spectral bands.

Conclusions:

• Mycodegradation is a viable strategy for breaking down recalcitrant synthetic polymers.
• Funalia floccosa shows significant potential for degrading specific types of plastics.
• Standardized methods combining gravimetry and spectroscopy are crucial for accurate assessment of plastic biodegradation.