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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

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Relative Humidity Influences Aureobasidium pullulans Degradation of Polyester Polyurethane Foam.

Amanda Stickney1,2,3, Nicole Renninger1,2,3, Dominique Wagner4,5

  • 1Environmental Science Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Environmental Microbiology Reports
|March 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Fungal degradation of polyester polyurethane foam increases with higher equilibrium relative humidity (ERH). This study measured foam degradation and identified fungal enzymes, like cutinases, upregulated at increased ERH.

Keywords:
biodegradationcutinasefungalindoor environmentmoistureplastics

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Materials science
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Microbial-induced corrosion causes significant economic losses, particularly plastic degradation by fungi.
  • Fungal activity is moisture-dependent, but the specific impact of equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) on plastic degradation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the effect of ERH on the degradation of polyester polyurethane foam by Aureobasidium pullulans.
  • To identify genetic pathways, specifically fungal enzymes, involved in plastic degradation at varying ERH levels.

Main Methods:

  • Incubation of three A. pullulans strains on foam at 50%, 85%, and 100% ERH.
  • Evaluation of degradation via foam weight loss, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), nutrient analysis, RNA sequencing, and Impranil clearing assay.
  • Analysis of cutinase gene expression in response to different ERH conditions.

Main Results:

  • Higher ERH significantly correlated with increased foam weight loss (p=0.002), ranging from 0.11% to 5.1% after one week.
  • SEM imaging revealed fungal growth and degradation, particularly at high ERH.
  • Cutinase genes, crucial for polymer degradation, were upregulated at 85% and 100% ERH in one strain, with the most upregulated cutinase showing Impranil clearing activity.

Conclusions:

  • Increased equilibrium relative humidity accelerates the fungal degradation of polyurethane foams.
  • Cutinase enzymes play a significant role in this degradation process, with their expression being humidity-dependent.
  • Findings are relevant for strategies aimed at preventing or promoting biodegradation of plastics.