Degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in soil environment by phylloplane fungi isolated from gramineous plants

Motoo Koitabashi, Masako T. Noguchi, Yuka Sameshima-Yamashita, Hiradate Syuntaro, Ken Suzuki, Shigenobu Yoshida, Takashi Watanabe, Yukiko Shinozaki, Seiya Tsushima, Hiroko K. Kitamoto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

93 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To improve the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic (BP) mulch films, 1227 fungal strains were isolated from plant surface (phylloplane) and evaluated for BP-degrading ability. Among them, B47-9 a strain isolated from the leaf surface of barley showed the strongest ability to degrade poly-(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) and poly-(butylene succinate) (PBS) films. The strain grew on the surface of soil-mounted BP films, produced breaks along the direction of hyphal growth indicated that it secreted a BP-degrading enzyme, and has directly contributing to accelerating the degradation of film. Treatment with the culture filtrate decomposed 91.2wt%, 23.7wt%, and 14.6wt% of PBSA, PBS, and commercially available BP polymer blended mulch film, respectively, on unsterlized soil within 6 days. The PCR-DGGE analysis of the transition of soil microbial community during film degradation revealed that the process was accompanied with drastic changes in the population of soil fungi and Acantamoeba spp., as well as the growth of inoculated strain B47-9. It has a potential for application in the development of an effective method for accelerating degradation of used plastics under actual field conditions

Original languageEnglish
Article number40
JournalAMB Express
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biophysics
  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

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