Microbial Depolymerization of Epoxy Resins: A Novel Approach to a Complex Challenge

The objective of this project is evaluating the potential of microbes (fungi and bacteria) for the depolymerization of epoxy, aiming at the development of a circular management of natural resources for epoxy in a long-term prospective. For depolymerization, epoxy samples were incubated for 1, 3, 6 a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2022-01, Vol.12 (1), p.466
Main Authors: Pardi-Comensoli, Lucrezia, Tonolla, Mauro, Colpo, Andrea, Palczewska, Zuzanna, Revikrishnan, Sharanya, Heeb, Markus, Brunner, Ivano, Barbezat, Michel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohol
Bacteria
Biodegradation
Carbon fibers
Cellulose
Consortia
Contact angle
Depolymerization
Enzymes
epoxy resin
Epoxy resins
Experiments
Fungi
Ganoderma adspersum
Hydrophobicity
Laboratories
Lignin
Methyloversatilis discipulorum
microbial depolymerization
Microbiota
Microcosms
Microorganisms
Natural resource management
Natural resources
Polyethylene terephthalate
Polymers
Recycling
Scanning electron microscopy
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Summary:The objective of this project is evaluating the potential of microbes (fungi and bacteria) for the depolymerization of epoxy, aiming at the development of a circular management of natural resources for epoxy in a long-term prospective. For depolymerization, epoxy samples were incubated for 1, 3, 6 and 9 months in soil microcosms inoculated with Ganoderma adspersum. Contact angle data revealed a reduction in the hydrophobicity induced by the fungus. Environmental scanning electron microscopy on epoxy samples incubated for more than 3 years in microbiological water revealed abundant microbiota. This comprised microbes of different sizes and shapes. The fungi Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus calidoustus, as well as the bacteria Variovorax sp. and Methyloversatilis discipulorum, were isolated from this environment. Altogether, these results suggest that microbes are able to colonize epoxy surfaces and, most probably, also partially depolymerize them. This could open promising opportunities for the study of new metabolisms potentially able depolymerize epoxy materials.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app12010466