Title: Biodegradation of microplastic by probiotic bifidobacterium

Authors: Hüseyin Sancar Bozkurt; Hülya Civelek Yörüklü; Kutsal Bozkurt; Cenk Denktaş; Altan Bozdoğan; Orhan Özdemir; Bestami Özkaya

Addresses: Internal Medicine, Clinic of Gastroenterology, Medicine Faculty, Maltepe University, Feyzullah Cad. No. 39, İstanbul 34857, Turkey ' Yildiz Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Department, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey ' Physics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey ' Physics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey ' Physics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey ' Physics Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey ' Yildiz Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Department, 34220 Esenler Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: A growing accumulation of microplastics has become a severe environmental and health issue. Scientific reports on biodegradation of microplastics by microorganisms have sprung up, and these offer a possibility to develop different microbial biodegradation approaches for microplastics. Bifidobacterium infantis is a probiotic commensal heterotrophic anaeorobic bacterium that regulates the intestinal microbiota. In this study, we have comprehensively analysed the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis microorganism and that is able to degrade polypropylene, which is generally used as synthetic plastic in various atmospheric conditions. Microplastic biodegradation of probiotic bifidobacterium occurs in an aerobic environment and FTIR spectrum of biofilm structure result provides that probiotic bifidobacterium uses polypropylene as an energy and carbon source. The microbial biofilm structure that emerges as a result of biodegradation is a bio-based compound that prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria. The probiotic bifidobacterial biodegradation of microplastics, which is a global environmental problem threatening human health, is promising.

Keywords: microplastic; polypropylene; bifidobacterium; biodegradation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2022.122435

International Journal of Global Warming, 2022 Vol.26 No.4, pp.429 - 443

Received: 18 Jul 2021
Accepted: 06 Sep 2021
Published online: 25 Apr 2022 *

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