BIODEGRADATION OF DIFFERENT STARCH-POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC FILMS BY PSEUDOMONAS STUTZERI AND PAENIBACILLUS POLYMIX4.

BIODEGRADATION OF DIFFERENT STARCH-POLYETHYLENE

PLASTIC FILMS BY PSEUDOMONAS STUTZERI AND PAENIBACILLUS

POLYMIX4.

By

MANAL M. El-NAGGAR* AND SAMY A. El-AASSAR
Microbiology Lab.. Marine Enrironmental dirision. NIOF Alexandria
Key Words: Biodegradation, Plastic films, Bacteriology.
ABSTK4CT
Ten types of starch-po~vethylene plastic films. with no additives
like prooxidants or photoo:xidants lfere provided by plastic
Development Cenier. Alexandria. Eg;pt. These films were incubated
in marine sediment (collected from eastern harbour. Alexandria) and
compost (prorided from the mam{faClllre site. Abees. Alexandria).
Two bacterial strains were isolated and identified as Pseudomonas
stu/zeri and Paellibacillus po{vmyxa. Both represented the major
bacterial growth present on the tested plastic .films after incubation on
marine sediment and compost. The plastic biodegradability was
investigated by weight loss. tensile strength loss and changes in
percent elongation. after -10. 70 and 120 days of incubation The
results of the weight loss were inconclusive . while tensile strength
loss and changes in percent elongation showed a highly significant
reduction (P< 0.01 ) compared with non-incubated zero time control orwith the untreated -polyethylene control (FE)