September 30. /TASS/. Scientists at Siberian Federal University discovered the ability of soil bacteria found in one of the regions of the Krasnoyarsk Region to "digest" biopolymers, the press service of the university told TASS on Wednesday.
"Siberian Federal University scientists conducted a series of studies devoted to the processes of decomposition and 'assimilation' by soil bacteria and fungi of special biopolymers produced at Siberian Federal University. They were the first in the world to reveal the ability of the microbial community inhabiting the soil of Evenkia (Krasnoyarsk Region) to metabolize bioplastic", the university's statement reads.
Evenkia is a region rich in oil and gas reserves, occupying almost a third of the Krasnoyarsk Region. It belongs to the permafrost zone; it is very cold here most of the year. Despite the reduced metabolism due to the climate, local soil microorganisms were able to efficiently process bioplastic based on polyhydroxyalkanoates. The authors found such peculiarities in bacterial strains Bacillus pumilus, as well as Pseudomonas, Variovorax, Rhodococcus. Good results were also obtained by studies of the properties of microscopic fungi — aspergillus and penicilli.
“The ability of cryogenic soils to 'absorb' bioplastics without harmful effects on the environment has been experimentally proven, which, I hope, will replace a significant share of synthetic plastic on the market in the future,” the SFU press service quotes the co-author of the study, professor of the basic department of biotechnology Svetlana Prudnikova.
The study's results are published in the journal Chemosphere.