Fungal communities associated with the biodegradation of polyester polyurethane buried under compost at different temperatures.

ABSTRACT: Plastics play an essential role in the modern world due to their low cost and durability. However, accumulation of plastic waste in the environment causes wide-scale pollution with long-lasting effects, making plastic waste management expensive and problematic. Polyurethanes (PUs) are heteropolymers that made up ca. 7% of the total plastic production in Europe in 2011. Polyester PUs in particular have been extensively reported as susceptible to microbial biodegradation in the environment, particularly by fungi. In this study, we investigated the impact of composting on PUs, as composting is a microbially rich process that is increasingly being used for the processing of green waste and food waste as an economically viable alternative to landfill disposal. PU coupons were incubated for 12 w

SUBMITTER: Zafar U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3837764 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature