Authors: Shane T Kenny, Jasmina Nikodinovic Runic, Walter Kaminsky, Trevor Woods, Ramesh P Babu, Chris M Keely, Werner Blau, Kevin E O’Connor

Publication Date: 15/10/2008

Journal: Environmental science & technology

Volume: 42

Issue: 20

Pages: 7696-7701

Publisher: American Chemical Society

The conversion of the petrochemical polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to a biodegradable plastic polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is described here. PET was pyrolised at 450 °C resulting in the production of a solid, liquid, and gaseous fraction. The liquid and gaseous fractions were burnt for energy recovery, whereas the solid fraction terephthalic acid (TA) was used as the feedstock for bacterial production of PHA. Strains previously reported to grow on TA were unable to accumulate PHA. We therefore isolated bacteria from soil exposed to PET granules at a PET bottle processing plant. From the 32 strains isolated, three strains capable of accumulation of medium chain length PHA (mclPHA) from TA as a sole source of carbon and energy were selected for further study. These isolates were identified using 16S rDNA techniques as P. putida (GO16), P. putida (GO19), and P. frederiksbergensis (GO23). P. putida …