Mistry A.N.Kachenchart B.Pinyakong O.Assavalapsakul W.Jitpraphai S.M.Somwangthanaroj A.Luepromchai E.Mahidol University2023-05-192023-05-192023-01-01Bioresource Technology Vol.367 (2023)09608524https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/81737Polylactic 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.Chemical EngineeringArticleSCOPUS10.1016/j.biortech.2022.1282372-s2.0-851412807251873297636332866