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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Looking Outwards: Isolation of Cyanobacterial Released Carbohydrate Polymers and Proteins
Published on: May 27, 2019
Isolation and characterization of a bacterium which utilizes polyester polyurethane as a sole carbon and nitrogen
T Nakajima-Kambe1, F Onuma, N Kimpara
1Institute of Applied Biochemistry, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Abstract:
Various soil samples were screened for the presence of microorganisms which have the ability to degrade polyurethane compounds. Two strains with good polyurethane degrading activity were isolated. The more active strain was tentatively identified as Comamonas acidovorans. This strain could utilize polyester-type polyurethanes but not the polyether-type polyurethanes as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Adipic acid and diethylene glycol were probably the main degradation products when polyurethane was supplied as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. When ammonium nitrate was used as nitrogen source, only diethylene glycol was detected after growth on polyurethane.
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