Abstract:
Synthetic plastics such as polypropylene (PP) continue to contribute to the growing
problem of the accumulation of non-biodegradable materials. Microbial plastic
degradation serves as a promising, sustainable, and eco-friendly strategy for the
disposal and management of such materials. This study aimed to identify
polypropylene degrading bacteria from Kabalikat Mangrove Forest in Port Area,
Manila, Philippines. Soil samples were collected and subjected to further sample
preparation. Isolated colonies were obtained from minimal Bushnell Haas (BH)
media supplemented with polypropylene. Selected cultures were identified by
standard bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing, and the ability of the isolates to degrade PP
was further validated. Results of the study showed that potential
polypropylene-degrading bacteria are present in Kabalikat Mangrove Forest, as they
were able to grow in minimal BH media supplemented with polypropylene as the
sole carbon source. Candidate isolates that showed growth around the
polypropylene material were identified as Bacillus paralicheniformis, Pseudomonas
stutzeri, and Paenibacillus sp. Polypropylene-degrading ability has previously been
reported in P. stutzeri, but not in B. paralicheniformis and Paenibacillus sp. It is
recommended that improvements in the method be conducted that would allow
detection using zones of clearing and quantitative assessment of the
polypropylene-biodegradation potential of the isolates.
