PRODUCTION OF BIO-DEGRADABLE PLASTICS USING DIFFERENT WASTE RESOURCES BY Streptomyces geysiriensis sp. VITJK02

Plastic polymers are invariably used every day for multiple applications causing huge environmental pollution globally. Biopolymers are biodegradable and considered to be a better alternative to synthetic plastics. This study explores the microbial production of Poly 3-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs/ Poly 3-hydroxybutyrates (PHBs) using low-cost waste substrate. The polymer of hydroxyalkanoate is produced as intracellular granules, accumulates inside and serves as a source of energy for microorganisms. PHA-producing bacteria were isolated and screened using the Nile red and Sudan black B staining technique. Agro-industrial wastes like Rice bran. Sesame seed oil cake, used cooking oil, and glucose were used as carbon sources. The PHA-producing strain was characterized and identified by 16S rRNA partial genome sequencing. The extracted PHA was analyzed for PHA and PHB monomeric compounds by GC-MS analysis. PHA-producing isolate was identified as Streptomyces species and named as Streptomyces geysiriensis sp. VITJK02 by molecular taxonomic characterization. Among the carbon sources used rice bran served as a better carbon source for PHA production, and the yield was calculated to be 37.55%. Octadecanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-methyl ester, 2-butenoic acid, 1-methyl ethyl ester, 9-hexadecenoic acid, butanoic acid, 2,7-dimethyl oct-7-en-5yn-4-yl ester, butanedioic acid, dimethyl ester, pentadecanoic acid, and valeric acid, 2-tetradecyl ester were a few of the major PHA monomeric compounds observed in our study. Since PHA/PHB bioplastics are a better alternative to petroleum hydrocarbon-based synthetic plastic polymers, cheap household wastes can be used to produce PHA to minimize the cost.