Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastic Biodegradation by Sea Water Bacteria
D A Naswadi1, A Rinanti2*, Tazkiaturrizki3

Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Technology, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

The increasing utilization of plastic-based products on our daily life can lead to accumulated plastic wastes in the sea, which would produce bad impacts on ecosystem balance. Plastic is a complex polymer with long degradation rate because plastic contains repeating extensive chain and high molecular weight, which makes it difficult to break. The objective of this literature study is to reveal information regarding the effectiveness of sea water bacteria to degrade or break Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic extensive chain with a biotechnological approach to overcome environmental pollution. This research was initially started by preparing 1x3 cm2 size PET films sterilized with ethanol 70%. PET films were placed on a cup filled with 2216 marine algae media (Difco, BD, USA). Variations of research design include 3 conditions of bacteria test samples (with no sea bacteria, with indigenous bacteria, and consortium bacteria (exogenous), 2 conditions of sea water addition (original sea water and sterilized sea water), 2 co-metabolism conditions (without and with supplement addition), and incubation which was conducted on bright condition. Roughness value of PET surface was observed by utilizing Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The results of this research reveals that degraded PET sample after 10 months is rougher than degraded PET sample after 6 months. This shows that sea bacteria are able to break or degrade PET sample surface, even though the process is very slow. Observation through X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen components that shape PET surface is significantly degraded on sample observed for 10 months than the on sample observed for 6 months. Further research is required to improve biodegradation efficiency.

Keywords: Plastic, Biodegradation, PET, PET Degrading Sea Water Bacteria

Topic: Symposium on Energy and Environmental Science and Engineering