Biodegradation of Polypropylene by Marine-Derived Fungi at Laboratory Scale

Abstract

This study investigated the capacity of two marine-derived fungal strains, which were grown in liquid-surface fermentation, to degrade plasticizers from polypropylene containers. Paecilomyces variotii (PM-001) and Penicillium roqueforti (PA-002) were grown for 12 days under hypersaline liquid-surfface fermentation, with polypropylene commercial storage boxes being used as the fermenters. The biodegradation experiment was conducted in a modified KMV broth. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (BEHP), a common chemical additive, was identified as the only plasticizer in the culture containers used. It was observed that P. roqueforti was able to transform BEHP into diethyl- and dibutyl- phthalates, while P. variotii transformed BEHHP into diethyl-, bis(2methylpropyl)-, dibutyl-, bis(4-methylpentyl)-, dihexyl-, and dioctyl- phthalates. BEHHP was not detected in either mycelium after the incubation period. The results suggest that P. roqueforti and P. variotii are highly efficient in degrading the BEHP plasticizer and can be used for bioremediation of polypropylene wastes. Therefore, efficient biotic degradation of polypropylene by marine-derived fungal strains could provide ecofriendly alternatives for degrading plastic additives, as well as leading to advances in the research and development of bioremediation strategies.