Enterobacter hormaechei mediated biodegradation of PET: a sustainable approach to plastic waste

This study investigates the biodegradation of polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by Enterobacter hormaechei, which was isolated from the Chennai coastal region, India. The degradation was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Particle Size analyzer, and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) coupled with EDX. FT-IR revealed the formation of C-O (ether group) and the C-H (methylene group) bonds. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the emergence of a new formation group at the 1216 cm^-1 Raman shift. XRD analysis revealed reduced crystallinity and structural alterations in PET, indicating bacterial-mediated modification of the polymer structure. FESEM analysis revealed significant morphological changes, accompanied by a 60.0% reduction in carbon content, corresponding to 65.5% PET degradation. In conclusion, Enterobacter hormaechei can efficiently utilise PET as a carbon source and highlighting its potential in polymer degradation.