Bioaugmentation with a defined bacterial consortium: A key to degrade high molecular weight polylactic acid during traditional composting
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
09608524
eISSN
18732976
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85141280725
Pubmed ID
36332866
Journal Title
Bioresource Technology
Volume
367
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Bioresource Technology Vol.367 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Mistry A.N., Kachenchart B., Pinyakong O., Assavalapsakul W., Jitpraphai S.M., Somwangthanaroj A., Luepromchai E. Bioaugmentation with a defined bacterial consortium: A key to degrade high molecular weight polylactic acid during traditional composting. Bioresource Technology Vol.367 (2023). doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128237 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/81737
Title
Bioaugmentation with a defined bacterial consortium: A key to degrade high molecular weight polylactic acid during traditional composting
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) is commercialized as a compostable bio-thermoplastic. PLA degrades under industrial composting conditions where elevated temperatures are maintained for a long timeframe. However, these conditions cannot be achieved in a non-industrial compost pile. Therefore, this study aims to degrade high molecular weight PLA films by adding a PLA-degrading bacterial consortium (EAc) comprised of Nocardioides zeae EA12, Stenotrophomonas pavanii EA33, Gordonia desulfuricans EA63, and Chitinophaga jiangningensis EA02 during traditional composting. With EAc-bioaugmentation, PLA films (5–30% w/w) had complete disintegration (35 d), 77–82% molecular weight reduction (16 d), and higher CO2 liberation and mineralization than non-bioaugmented composting. Bacterial community analyses showed that EAc-bioaugmentation increased the relative abundance of Schlegelella, a known polymer degrader, and interacted positively with beneficial indigenous microbes like Bacillus, Schlegelella and Thermopolyspora. The bioaugmentation also decreased compost phytotoxicity. Hence, consortium EAc shows potential in PLA-waste treatment applications, such as backyard and small-scale composting.