Biodegradation of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride by soil-screened Aspergillus versicolor and Aspergillus...

Plastic pollution has emerged as a significant and persistent environmental problem. We aimed to isolate and screen microbial strains capable of degrading polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). We collected soil from sites with a history of plastic pollution. Of the isolated bacterial and fungal strains, three fungal strains, Aspergillus versicolor (PE-1), Aspergillus aflatoxiformans (PVC-1), and Aspergillus versicolor (PVC-3), were screened positively for possessing a high degradation potential. The UV-radiation-mediated enhanced degradation process was analyzed using several techniques, including weight loss assessment, fungal biomass determination, and advanced techniques such as FTIR, SEM, GC-MS, and XRD. The results indicated significant weight losses of 23.0% in PE due to PE-1, and 17.80 and 14.3% in PVC films due to PVC-1 and PVC-3, indicating microbial degradation of the plastics. FTIR and SEM analyses revealed structural and morphological changes consistent with fungal surface oxidation and deterioration. GC-MS analysis also identified various degradation products, such as alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, resulting from polymer degradation; based on these products, a degradation pathway for PE and PVC is proposed in this study. This study suggests the potential of microbial biodegradation as an affordable and eco-friendly means to reduce plastic waste in the environment.