Biodegradation of polyester polyurethane by Aspergillus flavus G10

Polyurethanes (PU) are integral to many aspects of our daily lives. Due to the extensive use of and difficulties in recycling or reusing PU, it mostly accumulates as waste. Various bacteria and fungi have been reported to degrade PU. We examined the fungus in that regard, after isolating it from the guts of , a common cricket species. We observed surficial and chemical changes of PU with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. We measured physical changes as loss in tensile stress, stretching force, and weight of PU after incubations. Fungal hydrolysis of urethane bonds in the polymer backbone was demonstrated by detecting the formation of methylene di-aniline during incubations. Trapped CO during incubations equaled 52.6% of PU carbon. Biodegradation of PU was maximal by fungi cultured on a malt extract medium at 25 °C, pH 12, and 14:10 hrs light to dark ratio. Pretreating PU films with UV light or 1% FeSO or NaCl solutions further enhanced the rate of biodegradation. A range of techniques are needed to fully characterize the degradation of PU or other plastic polymers and to optimize conditions for their microbial degradation.