Plastic Waste Biodegradation by Local Bacterial Isolates in Ramadi City

Abstract

The current study aims to study biodegradation for plastic waste as one of the ways of treatment of plastic pollution by using isolated bacterial isolates from plastic waste collection and landfill areas in the city of Ramadi and surrounding areas during different periods. Diagnosis of bacterial isolates was performed based on phenotypic and physiological tests as well as testing on the VITEK 2 system, isolates were selected that go back to the type Pseudomonas sp. and Streptomyces sp. Bacterial isolates have been studied for its ability to breakdown plastic waste used in the manufacturing of drinking bottles and shopping bags by collecting samples of plastic waste and assured they are washed and sterilized perfectly. Another experiment was conducted through a second decomposition (A carbon deficient) medium as well as the second decomposition medium contains some chemicals that are thought to help accelerate the process of decomposition. Results showed that the highest polyethylene breakdown occurred due to isolate P1 (Pseudomonas fluorescens) by the degradation rate 8.83% on the first decomposition medium and 30.5% on the second decomposition medium, while the degradation rate to isolated P4 (Streptomyces) was 4.83% on the first medium and 19% on the second medium. The genetic study results showed existence of the enzyme PETase gene on Pseudomonas fluorescens chromosome in an expected size 119bp and it was absent on plasmid.