Screening of Plastic Degrading Pseudomonas spp. from Soil

Abstract

The plastics of various forms such as nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polytetraflouro ethylene, polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride are being continuously used in our day to day life. Polythene bags are made of polyethylene. Polythene constitutes 64% of the total synthetic plastic as it is being used in huge quantity for the manufacture of bottles, carry bags, disposable articles, garbage containers, margarine tubs, milk jugs and water pipes. Most of the plastic materials are generating as one of the major source of environmental pollution. Therefore, this research was conducted with an objective to find the screening of plastic degrading Pseudomonas spp. isolated from the different soil samples at different temperature. From the four sentinel sites Sisdol, Teku, Balkhu and Sanothimi, total of 60 soil samples were collected. The samples were processed in the Microbiology Laboratory form April to September 2017 at Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu for the isolation and identification of the Pseudomonas spp. The organisms were identified by the conventional microbiological methods and biochemical reactions. The Pseudomonas spp., potency of degradation of plastic was screened. It was found that, the Pseudomonas spp. degraded 7.6% and 8.2% of plastic at 30°C and 37°C temperature during one month. Out of the total 24 isolates, P. aeruginosa degraded 7.3% and 8.5%, the P. fluorescence degraded 7.8% and 7.9% of the polythene at 30°C and 37°C temperature respectively during one month. This research shows the indigenous strain of Pseudomonas spp. has the potency of degradation of polythene and supportive for the way of municipality solid waste management.