| dc.description.abstract | The difficulty of degrading plastic waste in nature causes plastic waste to
accumulate and become a problem in the environment, especially in landfill sites. This
study aims to determine the diversity and potential of plastic degrading bacteria
isolated from Terjun landfill Medan Marelan. Bacteria were isolated from four types
of plastic waste namely Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Low Linear Density
Polyethylene (LLDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP) from
Terjun Medan Marelan landfill. Bacteria were screened for their ability to grow on
minimal medium containing 0.5% plastic powder. The ability of bacteria to degrade
LDPE and LLDPE on agar media was determined based on plastic weight reduction
analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infra Red
(FTIR) observations. Isolation results obtained as many as 24 isolates with different
morphologies. Total of 5 isolates is L6, LL4, LL6, and H5 were able to grow on media
containing plastic powder. The results of molecular identification of known type of
bacteria in isolates L6, LL4, and LL6 Bacillus paramycoides, while in isolate H5
Sphingobacterium changzhouense. The ability of five types of bacteria in degrading
LDPE and LLDPE sheets, it is known that all bacteria can reduce the weight of plastic
sheets in incubation time for 30 days by 8,4% on LDPE and 5,0% on LLDPE.
Photomicrograph observation of the degradation test results of LDPE and LLDPE
plastic sheets using SEM found the attachment of bacterial colonies and changes in
the surface of plastic sheets such as holes and cracks. However, FTIR data did not
support any changes or formation of new compounds. | en_US |
