ABSTRACT
Polythenes are highly inert plastic material made of long chain monomer of ethylene. Polythene are light weight, stable, durable and low cost product. These properties make this synthetic polymer valuable in domestic, industrial, and environmental applications. These endless applications of polythene have subsequently led to the generation of large quantities of waste in the environment. In this study four strains of Aspergillus sp. were screened using synthetic medium for degradation, these Aspergillus sp. show remarkable ability to degrade polythene. The biodegradation experiment was performed for 9 months in soil and one month in synthetic medium in shake flasks test. The FTIR, % weight loss and the SEM were used to determine structural and surface change on polythene. The efficacy of the microorganism in the degradation of polythene was analyzed in shake flask biodegradation test. Among the Aspergillus species, Aspergillus fumigatus degraded 26% of polythene in one month shake flask test. In soil among the Aspergillus species Aspergillus fumigatus degraded 31% of polythene in 9 months.The results showed that the microorganisms were capable of degrading polythene. This reflects that these microbes can be used both in-vivo and in-vitro for the attainment of polythene degradation.
