Biodegradable Plastics and Degradation by Biodegradable Bacterial Enzyme

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2/5.

Enzyme isolated form Aegus laevicollis , a microorganism from the laval midgut of a stag beetle was found that it can degrade biodegradable-plastic. The aim was to isolate the enzyme with the strongest bio-degradation ability. Ability of the purified enzyme on BP degradation potential was evaluated from TOC of the biodegradable films(PHB, PBSA,PBS, PCL, PLLA, PDLLA). Two enzymes of the microorganism(CmCutl and CLE) was found to have the strongest bio-degradation ability. CmCutl and CLE was further sequenced and characterized. Results showed CmCutl could degrade a wide spectrum of BP when adding Ca+ and Mg2+ result is even more significant, whereas CLE not as significantly when Ca+ and Mg2+ is added. This result indicates enzyme extracted from microorganism of beetles have a significant effect in biodegradability. This significant finding can benefit in accumulating the degradation for some physically strong but low biodegradability plastics.

This article was not very useful as it was hard to understand. It focused on the characterization of the enzyme .How microbial degradation happened was not mentioned. 2/5.

In this review Brodhagen et al. (2014) investigates the current technology of biodegradable plastics. This article aimed at summarizing the chemical features of different agricultural biodegradable films. Clear diagrams are shown so readers can get a preliminary understanding of some commercially used biodegradable plastics. It also discussed the features of environment for biodegradable film breakdown. It goes on to evaluate current technology to accumulate degradation . Especially outlining some underlying flaws of using biotic microorganisms to degrade biodegradable films, and how using biodegradable plastic can still result in environmental problems. A method taken from other research paper is provided to show the potential accumulation for mulch films of biodegradable mulch in soil. This review evaluate many aspects of biodegradable plastics and reminds about the importance to recognize the flaws associated.

This review is helpful.It talked about chemistry and degradation the current commercial biodegradable plastic in a general manner so readers who is new to this can follow. It also mentioned the concerning factor of biodegradable plastics. This review also included many references that might be helpful for my literature review. 4/5.

Oxo-biodegradable plastic bags contains TiO as a pro-oxidant compound in its polymers allowed it to accelerating thermo-oxidation and assisted degradation of other polymers.Nitrogen fixing microorganism on hypae of P. Ostreauts found to increase the degradation rate of Oxo-biodegradable plastic bags as it supports the growth of other fungal( which accounts for bio-degradation) in low nitrogen environment. The aim of this journal article was to test these by exposing the oxo-biodegradable plastic bags in natural sunlight for 30, 60 and 120 days. Ninety days of fungal growth was allowed. Results found sunlight although caused some degradation (decrease in the oxo-compounds), but thermo-oxidation energy released was not enough to break other polymers.Larger breaks and fragmentation observed proved fungal growth resulted in degradation .This article provided information about biotic and antibiotic biodegradable . But readers needed to be aware, sunlight is needed for degradation to happen.

This article is typical where biodegradable polymer are incorporated in traditional plastic polymer to cause degradation in the traditional plastic polymer (polythene here) . In addition gave some overviews on how degradation can occur in both biotc and antibiotic.3/5.