ABSTRACT The persistent accumulation of plastic waste, particularly low‐density polyethylene (LDPE), presents a significant global environmental challenge. This study explores the biodegradation potential of LDPE films treated with surface‐active compounds (SACs) “biosurfactants” known to enhance microbial adhesion by converting hydrophobic surfaces into hydrophilic ones. Pluralibacter gergoviae TYB1 was employed to facilitate biofilm‐mediated degradation under SAC treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed distinct surface corrosion and biofilm formation on LDPE films, indicating active microbial colonization. Degradation was further confirmed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile strength analysis (TSA). SAC‐treated LDPE exhibited a significantly higher degradation rate compared to untreated controls. Tensile strength decreased to 9.29% in SAC‐treated samples, compared to 15.31% in controls. TGA analysis showed increasing residue formation, 0.08%, 0.10%, and 0.15%, and corresponding weight loss of 99.829%, 99.916%, and 99.981% for treatments T1 (MIM media + LDPE alone), T2 (MIM media + LDPE + P. gergoviae TYB1), and T3 (MIM media + LDPE + P. gergoviae TYB1 + 1 mg SAC), respectively. Minor shifts in onset and end temperatures were observed in DSC analysis, suggesting subtle structural changes. These findings demonstrate that SAC‐mediated biodegradation by P. gergoviae TYB1 offers a promising and sustainable strategy for mitigating plastic waste.
Soni et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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