Comparative polymer biodegradation efficiency of an isolated Acinetobacter sp. with Bravibacillus sp. and E. coli by resting cells

Abstract

At a concentration of 4 g/L, an enteric polymer is utilized to target drug release in the small intestine and causes considerable toxicity in cells. Our ecology and ecosystem are also harmed by their non-biodegradable qualities. We isolated and identified polymer-degrading bacteria from industrial effluent in this work. The isolated strain's morphological, biochemical, and antibiotic sensitivities were also examined. The isolated strain was found to be gram-negative, round-shaped, and non-motile in morphological tests, while biochemical tests revealed it to be negative in starch agar and TSI but positive in methyl red, mannitol salt, simmon citrate, urea agar, and catalase test. The isolated strain was highly resistant to ciprofloxacin and vancomycin. The isolated bacterium was identified as Acinetobacter sp. by 16S rRNA sequencing. Additionally, Acinetobacter sp. strains of Escherichia coli and Brevibacillus sp. were used separately to observe the degradation of five synthesized non-biodegradable polymers (maleic acid propane-1,2 diol glycerol co-polyester, maleic acid phthalic acid propane-1,2 diol glycerol co-polyester, maleic acid phthalic acid butan-1,4 diol glycerol co-polyester, phthalic acid succinic acid propane-1,2 diol glycerol co-polyester, and phthalic acid succinic acid buten-1,4 diol glycerol co-polyester. The capacity of all three strains to degrade the abovementioned polymers was greater than 75%. E. coli, for example, had a rapid disintegration rate but was responsible for human gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections. As a result, our isolated Acinetobacter sp. can be employed to degrade synthetic polymers.