Research Projects

In the present project, the aim is to isolate efficient microbial agents with high potential to degrade plastics particularly, PUR and PET. The project proposes to make a bioformulation consisting of microbial populations having diverse metabolic capabilities and could synergistically co-exist to degrade these plastics. Plastic biodegradation is known to be catalyzed by microbial enzymes which resemble the natural depolymerizing enzymes such as lipases, esterases, proteases which might have evolved to act on unnatural substrates. The enzymes contributing to plastic degradation would be isolated and characterized and a process for enzymatic depolymerization of PET and PUR would be developed and optimized. The individual plastic degrading enzyme members would be identified and the candidate genes will be overexpressed. A further process for conversion of the de-polymerized plastics into high-value products such as surfactants and bio-plastics would be developed. Upcycling of waste plastic by conversion into value-added products would motivate the industry to participate in the plastic waste management