Isolation of microorganisms from landfill soil contaminated with polyethylene

Abstract

The aim of the research was the isolation and characterization of microbial consortia formed on the surface of LDPE extracted from the soil. The soil was amended with mineral salts under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The duration of LDPE incubation in the soil was six months. Isolation of microorganisms on solid media revealed the existence of 12 species of microorganisms. Most of the consortia were formed by micromycetes from genera Trichoderma, Penicillium, Ascomycota. The isolated consortia demonstrated the ability to populate the LDPE surface and produce mechanical changes in the polyethylene.