Analysis of the plastic-degrading bacteria utilization

Abstract

The environmentally friendly method of plastic degradation has always risen lately to be a topic of interest in society. This is due to the tendency of synthetic polymers to resist degradation in the natural environment and being left in the environment untreated in a continuously increasing volume. Recently, in 2016, Japanese scientist, Kohei Oda, and his team identified a bacterium and named it Ideonella sakaiensis. The bacterium was initially separated from a mix of microorganisms in the sediment, comprising protozoa and yeast-like cells. It was demonstrated that the whole microbial population could convert 75% of the decomposed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into carbon dioxide after it had been initially broken down and absorbed by Ideonella sakaiensis. This report will use Ideonella sakaiensis as a control and compare other bacteria growing on PET in a condition where nutrients are fed sufficiently. The comparison will be done through methods of DNA extraction and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). From this comparison, bacteria that contain similarities with Ideonella sakaiensis could be obtained and possibly implemented as a PET degradation method. By using naturally growing bacteria, and environmentally friendly, plastic waste treatment methods, sustainability can be ensured.