Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm’s guts: a potential for soil restoration

E. Huerta Lwanga; B. Thapa; X. Yang; H. Gertsen; T. Salánki; V. Geissen; P.V. Garbeva

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.144

Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm’s guts: a potential for soil restoration

E. Huerta Lwanga (Co-auteur), B. Thapa, X. Yang, H. Gertsen, T. Salánki, V. Geissen, P.V. Garbeva

NIOO - Microbial Ecology (ME)

Onderzoeksoutput: Bijdrage aan wetenschappelijk tijdschrift/periodieke uitgave › Artikel › Wetenschappelijk › peer review

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Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most abundant source of microplastic pollution worldwide. A recent
study found that LDPE decay was increased and the size of the plastic was decreased after passing through the
gut of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta). Here, we investigated the involvement of earthworm
gut bacteria in the microplastic decay. The bacteria isolated from the earthworm's gut were Gram-positive, belonging
to phylum Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. These bacteria were used in a short-term microcosm experiment
performed with gamma-sterilized soil with or without LDPE microplastics (MP). We observed that the
LDPE-MP particle size was significantly reduced in the presence of bacteria. In addition, the volatile profiles of
the treatments were compared and clear differences were detected. Several volatile compounds such as
octadecane, eicosane, docosane and tricosane were measured only in the treatments containing both bacteria
and LDPE-MP, indicating that these long-chain alkanes are byproducts of bacterial LDPE-MP decay.

Originele taal-2	Engels
Pagina's (van-tot)	753-757
Tijdschrift	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	624
DOI's	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.144
Status	Gepubliceerd - 2018

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10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.144Licentie: CC BY-NC-ND

6446_Huerta_LwangaFinal published version, 917 KBLicentie: CC BY-NC-ND

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title = "Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm{\textquoteright}s guts: a potential for soil restoration",

abstract = "Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most abundant source of microplastic pollution worldwide. A recentstudy found that LDPE decay was increased and the size of the plastic was decreased after passing through thegut of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta). Here, we investigated the involvement of earthwormgut bacteria in the microplastic decay. The bacteria isolated from the earthworm's gut were Gram-positive, belongingto phylum Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. These bacteria were used in a short-term microcosm experimentperformed with gamma-sterilized soil with or without LDPE microplastics (MP). We observed that theLDPE-MP particle size was significantly reduced in the presence of bacteria. In addition, the volatile profiles ofthe treatments were compared and clear differences were detected. Several volatile compounds such asoctadecane, eicosane, docosane and tricosane were measured only in the treatments containing both bacteriaand LDPE-MP, indicating that these long-chain alkanes are byproducts of bacterial LDPE-MP decay.",

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T1 - Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm’s guts: a potential for soil restoration

AU - Huerta Lwanga, E.

AU - Thapa, B.

AU - Yang, X.

AU - Gertsen, H.

AU - Salánki, T.

AU - Geissen, V.

AU - Garbeva, P.V.

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N2 - Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most abundant source of microplastic pollution worldwide. A recentstudy found that LDPE decay was increased and the size of the plastic was decreased after passing through thegut of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta). Here, we investigated the involvement of earthwormgut bacteria in the microplastic decay. The bacteria isolated from the earthworm's gut were Gram-positive, belongingto phylum Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. These bacteria were used in a short-term microcosm experimentperformed with gamma-sterilized soil with or without LDPE microplastics (MP). We observed that theLDPE-MP particle size was significantly reduced in the presence of bacteria. In addition, the volatile profiles ofthe treatments were compared and clear differences were detected. Several volatile compounds such asoctadecane, eicosane, docosane and tricosane were measured only in the treatments containing both bacteriaand LDPE-MP, indicating that these long-chain alkanes are byproducts of bacterial LDPE-MP decay.

AB - Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most abundant source of microplastic pollution worldwide. A recentstudy found that LDPE decay was increased and the size of the plastic was decreased after passing through thegut of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta). Here, we investigated the involvement of earthwormgut bacteria in the microplastic decay. The bacteria isolated from the earthworm's gut were Gram-positive, belongingto phylum Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. These bacteria were used in a short-term microcosm experimentperformed with gamma-sterilized soil with or without LDPE microplastics (MP). We observed that theLDPE-MP particle size was significantly reduced in the presence of bacteria. In addition, the volatile profiles ofthe treatments were compared and clear differences were detected. Several volatile compounds such asoctadecane, eicosane, docosane and tricosane were measured only in the treatments containing both bacteriaand LDPE-MP, indicating that these long-chain alkanes are byproducts of bacterial LDPE-MP decay.

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DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.144

M3 - Article

SN - 0048-9697

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JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

ER -

Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm’s guts: a potential for soil restoration

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