Microbial degradation of plastic : comparison of synthetic and natural communities
Carlier, Louise
Promotor(s) : Delvigne, Frank
Date of defense : 29-Aug-2018 • Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/5117
Details
Title : | Microbial degradation of plastic : comparison of synthetic and natural communities |
Author : | Carlier, Louise |
Date of defense : | 29-Aug-2018 |
Advisor(s) : | Delvigne, Frank |
Committee's member(s) : | Blecker, Christophe
Vandenbol, Micheline Francis, Frédéric Sindic, Marianne PHALIP, Vincent Wattiez, Ruddy |
Language : | English |
Number of pages : | 102 |
Keywords : | [en] Plastic degradation. Galleria mellonella. DGGE. Co-culture. Biofilm adhesion. XDLVO theory. |
Discipline(s) : | Life sciences > Biotechnology |
Institution(s) : | Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique |
Degree: | Master en bioingénieur : chimie et bioindustries, à finalité spécialisée |
Faculty: | Master thesis of the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (GxABT) |
Abstract
[en] The processes of plastic biodegradation take into account a wide field of study involving
several multidisciplinary approaches. The aim of this present work is to investigate
plastic degradation from two ways. The first one is the study of the impact of diets on the
intestinal microbiota of Galleria mellonella caterpillar, known to assimilate polyethylene.
To this end, a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was performed, highlighting
specie diversity variation but a constant specie richness. Moreover, identification of
cultivable bacteria from the gut of G. mellonella larvae displays interesting species able
to degrade polymer. The second approach is the study of the adhesion of biofilms on
polyethylene surface, which is the first step of plastic biodegradation. For this purpose,
XDLVO theory was explored through Zeta potential (ZP) measurement and contact angle
measurement on microbial co-culture composed of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Trichoderma
harzianum. The obtained ZP variation exhibits the complexity and heterogeneity
of biofilms through time and space. These physicochemical analyses were performed on
plastic surface supporting biofilms. Small variations were exhibited compared to the
controls. This observation can be the consequence of a chemical modification of plastic
surface caused by the microbial degradation and leading to a better adhesion of biofilm.
Cite this master thesis
The University of Liège does not guarantee the scientific quality of these students' works or the accuracy of all the information they contain.