Recovery of plastic utilizing bacteria by electromagnetic radiation treatment

Abstract

Present study determines that multispecies microbes involved in plastic degradation can be detached in intact form by exposing them to different energies (wavelength) of electromagnetic radiations in a novel experimental setup. Detailed output parameters that were statistically performed include: a) DNA quantity (85 to 98 % more DNA was obtained in light-treated samples compared to control), b) total bacterial count using DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) dye by epifluorescence (2.8×105, 6.1×105, 6.7×105 for control, blue light treated, and red light treated samples, respectively after 48 h of treatment), and c) cultivation of plastic-degrading microbes on modified Bushnell Hass agar supplemented with LDPE in 0.8 % saline water (obtained microbial growth for blue and red light treated samples, but no growth for control samples). Based on experimental findings, microbial community involved in plastic degradation can be successfully regulated and detached from plastic surface by electromagnetic radiation treatment and could be used for further analysis as natural or intact best plastic degrading microorganisms.