Fungal Biodegradation of Plastic Polymers

Abstract

The overarching goal of this research was to further investigate fungal biodegradation of plastic polymers using a strain that has the capability to do so. The aim was to research the plastic degradation abilities of Aspergillus tubingensis. A. tubingensis has been proven to have polyester polyurethane degrading capabilities (Kahn, et al. 2017). Polyester polyurethane are plastic polymers composed of monomeric units connected via ester and urethane bonds. The strain was grown on three different types of solid and liquid media. For long-term experiments, the fungal strain was grown on petri dishes or in flasks containing one of five different types of plastic products. For short-term experiments the strain was grown only on solid media which contained one of three different polymers. The plastic used for the degradation experiments was done using commonly purchased plastic products. Plastic specimens were analyzed based on change in weight. Microscopy and pictures are included. Data was gathered, analyzed, and inferred upon. Follow up experiments are necessary for making definitive conclusions.