Climate resilience plastic degradation potential of Pseudomonas putida isolated from the soil of plastic waste dumping sites to reduce GHG emissions

Abstract

Climate change is a universal issue and plastic trash is the major cause of global warming. The present study was specifically designed to address the escalating plastic waste problem, the biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags was investigated over an 8-week period using liquid culture approach. Bacterial strain (Pseudomonas putida) capable of degrading LDPE was isolated from common plastic garbage dumping sites. The strain was identified after sequencing analysis, as P. putida was evaluated for its effectiveness in degrading LDPE. Various analytical techniques, including weight loss, SEM, FTIR and GC-MS were employed to assess the degradation process. Results revealed that bacterial strain achieved 0.0776 % degradation. SEM and FTIR confirmed surface and chemical changes, while GC MS identified degradation by products in comparison to the control (where no bacteria was used).