BIOREMEDIATION OF LOW DENSITY POLYTHENE USING BIOFILM TECHNOLOGY OF RHODOCOCCUS RUBER MTCC 1827R. SELVARAJ, K. SAKTHIVEL, S. LEELA, S. PONSUMITHAPATTU, N. PARAMESWARI, K. SOWMIYAAbstract Accumulation of polythene bags and plastic among the environment is a major threat over the world. Increasing in the polythene bags in the environment deliberately affect the water resources by decreasing the ground water level. If the plastics were biodegradable, it becomes ecofriendly since the potential application of the plastics was increased by day to day life. Here, Polythene bags were analyzed 20, 30 and 45 days of incubation in a liquid broth medium. It was clearly observed that the polythene was eroded on its surface by the microbes through biofilm formation. The eroded surface of polythene was measured through DSC, FTIR, and SEManalysis. Through SEM analysis, it was observed that microbial growth occurred on the presence of polythene samples that had been compression moulded to thick sections but had not been deliberately peroxided was observed through FTIR measurement. Erosion of the film was observed over the surface polythene by DSC measurement. Biodegradation was measured in terms of mean weight loss, which was nearly 10 to 15% after a period of one month. Further SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) analysis confirmed the degradation by revealing the presence of porosity and fragility of degraded polythene surface.
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