International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation最新文献

{"title":"Optimized deep eutectic solvent cocktail assisted sequential pretreatment to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis of Arachis hypogaea L biomass","authors":"Vidhyadevi Udayakumar,&nbsp;Brinda Lakshmi Anguraj","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Roadblock in lignocellulose degradation via enzymatic hydrolysis is critical concern to be addressed to improve the biofuel circular economy. Sequential pretreatments followed by enzymatic hydrolysis leverages high sugar yields from lignocellulose biomass (LCB) through lignin removal and enhanced enzyme adsorption, outperforming single pretreatment methods. However, the biofuel sector continues the search for alternative greenness pretreatment techniques that combine versatile, cost effective, and environmental sustainability. This study introduces an innovative, eco-friendly synergistic pretreatment method utilising a deep eutectic solvent (DES) mixture of choline chloride, tannic acid, and glucose (ChCl: TA: Glu), together with optimized microwave irradiation (MWI) and ultrasonication, to enhance enzyme hydrolysis of groundnut shell (GNS) into fermentable sugars. Meanwhile, crucial parameters influencing ternary DES treatment - pH 6.2, temperature 65 °C, time 4.2 h and biomass loading 12 % - were predicted by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to enhance LCB hydrolysis before microwave and ultrasonic processing. MWI power and ultrasonic frequency were optimized via the One Variable At a Time (OVAT) approach, finding 300W and 50Hz as optimal for sequential treatment to minimize energy consumption and complexity. Under optimized configurations, this sequential DES-based treatment accomplished significant delignification and hemicellulose removal, resulting in the liberation of 92.89 % cellulose and improved enzymatic saccharification. RSM optimization shown substantial enhancements in sugar release, with cellulose and glucose yield escalating by 5.7 times and 17.22 times (248 mg), respectively from 1 % pretreated sample and yielded bioethanol 12.4g/100g of raw biomass. Structural transformations in GNS were validated by FTIR,XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, EDAZ, and TGA studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106207"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel eco-friendly biocides: Biotechnological sustainable solutions for cultural heritage safeguard","authors":"Cátia Salvador ,&nbsp;Patrícia Gatinho ,&nbsp;M. Rosário Martins ,&nbsp;A. Teresa Caldeira","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodeterioration poses a significant threat to cultural heritage, calling for sustainable and safe mitigation strategies. Conventional chemical biocides often present issues such as high toxicity, low material compatibility, and microbial resistance. In this study, conducted under the ART3mis Project, we explored the biotechnological potential of killer toxin-producing yeasts as eco-friendly antimicrobial agents for heritage conservation. Yeast strains from genera <em>Saccharomyces</em>, <em>Kluyveromyces</em>, and <em>Torulaspora</em> were molecularly identified and tested against biodeteriogenic bacteria and fungi isolated from heritage materials. Lyophilized culture extracts showed selective, strain-dependent antimicrobial activity, particularly those from <em>S. cerevisiae</em> 1 and 5, <em>K. lactis</em> 9, and <em>K. marxianus</em> 13. Protein fractionation indicated that high molecular weight compounds (&gt;30 kDa), likely killer toxins, were responsible for bioactivity. Most yeast extracts and fractions exhibited negligible toxicity in <em>Artemia franciscana</em> assays, even at 10 mg/mL, while commercial biocides caused 100% lethality at concentrations 160–380 times lower. These findings highlight the innovative application of killer yeasts in the field of heritage preservation, offering an effective, low-toxicity alternative to conventional biocides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106214"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Superficial rock decalcification by the lichen Tephromela atra var. calcicola: what's true?","authors":"Mauro Tretiach ,&nbsp;Sofia Ceseri ,&nbsp;Ornella Salvadori ,&nbsp;Francesco Princivalle ,&nbsp;Barbara Salvadori","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The thallus–substrate relationship of <em>Tephromela atra</em> var. <em>calcarea</em> was investigated to determine whether the colonisation of carbonate-rich rock can be related to a “superficial decalcification” of the substrate, as claimed by some authors. Fragments of thalli still adhering to the substrate from the TSB herbarium were embedded in epoxy resin to obtain cross-sections, which were analysed by FPA-FTIR microspectroscopy in reflection mode to acquire chemical imaging data reflecting the spatial distribution of molecular components. The cross-sections were then stained with periodic acid-Schiff, and the percentage of hyphal spread was measured in selected areas of 2 mm² at fixed distances along vertical transects from the thallus–substrate interface to the hyphal-free substrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed on additional fragments to detect any biomineralization products present. The hyphae of <em>T. atra</em> penetrated all calcareous substrates to a maximum depth of 0.8 mm, also piercing single calcite clasts. Hyphal spread varied greatly between substrates, with a minimum in compact limestone and a maximum in porous limestone. XRD analyses showed the presence of the biominerals whewellite and weddellite in varying amounts, and confirmed the presence of calcite in all samples, except in one occurring on Roman brick. High-resolution FTIR chemical maps showed the presence of calcite in medium/high to high concentration at the thallus–substrate interface. No evidence of calcite depletion was observed. These results do not support a significant carbonate depletion of the surface of the carbonate-rich rock colonised by <em>T. atra</em>, whose hyphae can actively penetrate the calcite clasts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106215"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sessile culture as a strategy to enhance the production of emulsifying exopolysaccharides by Glutamicibacter sp. XHA18","authors":"Luis Herrera-Candelario ,&nbsp;Susana De la Rosa-García ,&nbsp;Eugenia Zarza ,&nbsp;Karina Guillen-Navarro ,&nbsp;Mayra A. Alvarez-Lemus ,&nbsp;Sergio Gómez-Cornelio","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pristine environments harbor diverse microbial communities with unique and underexplored metabolic capabilities, including the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) with bioemulsifying properties. These polymers have increasing biotechnological relevance in food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sectors. This study evaluated the effect of two contrasting growth modes—sessile and planktonic—on the production and stability of an emulsifying EPS synthesized by the halotolerant strain <em>Glutamicibacter</em> sp. XHA18, isolated from a pristine cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Emulsifying activity and 24-h stability were assessed using the emulsification index (EI₂₄), while physicochemical parameters such as carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, agitation, and salinity were optimized in both culture systems. EPS extraction and purification protocols were designed to recovery both high- and low-molecular-weight fractions. The purified EPS was characterized by FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, and zeta potential analysis. Sessile cultivation promoted earlier and higher emulsifying activity (EI₂₄ = 62.09 % at 24 h), whereas planktonic culture required 96 h to reach comparable levels (EI₂₄ = 60.09 %). In both systems, dextrose and alkaline pH significantly enhanced EPS production, whereas high salinity impaired its emulsifying performance. EPS yield was higher under sessile conditions (2.8 g/L) than in planktonic culture (1.8 g/L). FTIR and zeta potential analysis confirmed the polysaccharidic nature and negative surface charge of the EPS, supporting its ability to form stable emulsions with various hydrophobic substrates, even under salinity levels of 5–10 %. Toxicity assays with <em>Artemia salina</em> and <em>Cucumis sativus</em> confirmed the low toxicity of the EPS, with only minor effects at elevated concentration. Genomic analysis revealed that strain XHA18 belongs to the genus <em>Glutamicibacter</em> but differs in G + C content and metabolic features from known species, suggesting it may represent a novel taxon. Overall, this study provides new insights into the biosynthesis and functional stability of bioemulsifying EPS under sessile conditions and highlights <em>Glutamicibacter</em> sp. XHA18 as a promising biotechnological resource for industrial and environmental applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106213"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response characteristics of microbial community in soil cocontaminated with heavy metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons: A field study at a demolished electroplating plant site","authors":"Yaling Gou ,&nbsp;Hongwei Pang ,&nbsp;Naijin Wu ,&nbsp;Ji Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiang Li ,&nbsp;Jiajia Wang ,&nbsp;Lingze Zeng ,&nbsp;Longyi Wei ,&nbsp;Rifeng Kang ,&nbsp;Wenxia Wei ,&nbsp;Peizhong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cocontamination by chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHs) and heavy metals (HMs) frequently occurs at electroplating plant sites. However, how these two types of pollutants interact to influence native microbial communities, and how these communities respond to such combined stress, remains unclear. In this study, the distribution of pollutants and the response characteristics of bacteria and organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) in CH–HM-contaminated soil collected from an electroplating plant of a former auto parts manufacturing company were examined. The two pollutant types exhibited distinct vertical spatial distributions. Soil bacterial communities were affected primarily by depth, followed by soil texture and pollutant concentration. Specifically, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, chromium (Cr), zinc, nickel, and Cr⁶⁺ levels in the soil were key factors influencing the relative abundance of bacterial phyla. Nevertheless, the abundance of OHRB (<em>Geobacter</em>) was more indicative of CH contamination than of HM presence. Moreover, soil bacterial functions across different depths, textures, and pollutant concentrations showed no significant differences. The bacterial network was divided into 20 modules, with cooperative (positive) interactions outnumbering competitive (negative) interactions. In total, four bacterial genera within Proteobacteria played a key role in this cocontaminated environment. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing bioremediation strategies for sites affected by CHs and HMs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106211"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermostable extracellular enzyme-mediated biodegradation of Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone in maize flour: A promising strategy","authors":"Nazish Muzaffar ,&nbsp;Shujie Zhang ,&nbsp;Qian Li ,&nbsp;Yuhui Yang ,&nbsp;Yanli Xie ,&nbsp;Yuan Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and Zearalenone (ZEN) are highly toxic mycotoxins commonly present in cereal-based foods, making their degradation a crucial research area for ensuring food safety. This study demonstrated that extracellular components mediated the biodegradation of AFB₁ and ZEN from <em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em> HNGD-T8, isolated from fermented tea. The cell-free supernatants achieved 99.57 % and 99.9 % degradation at 80 °C for AFB₁ and ZEN, respectively. Notably, Mn²⁺ enhanced the degradation of both mycotoxins. Simultaneous degradation of AFB₁ and ZEN was achieved at 78.02 % and 93.74 %, respectively. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that both mycotoxins were broken down into different metabolites, with AFB₁ converting into (C₁₇H₁₂O₇, C₁₃H₁₀O₄) and ZEN transforming into (C₁₈H₂₂O₇, C₁₇H₂₄O₄). Degradation of AFB₁ and ZEN led to the disruption of their active sites and the formation of derivative compounds. Subsequent toxicity assessment using zebrafish larvae demonstrated that these degradation products exhibited reduced toxicity. In maize flour, AFB₁ and ZEN degraded 74.20 % and 59.57 %, respectively, while simultaneous degradation achieved 66.23 % and 78.07 %. Given its potent degradation ability, Mn²⁺-enhanced activity, thermostability, and effectiveness in maize flour, these findings underscore the promising potential of HNGD-T8 for mitigating mycotoxin contamination in food matrices and contributing to sustainable food safety solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106212"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhizoremediation of organically contaminated soils: mechanisms, influencing factors and enhancing measures","authors":"Yunsi Duan ,&nbsp;Hongling Zhang ,&nbsp;Guofeng Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the ongoing emission of organic pollutants, there is an urgent need to find green and sustainable remediation technologies that also offer economic benefits. Rhizoremediation technology, which achieves pollutant degradation through plant-microbe interactions, has emerged as a highly promising green solution. However, complex soil environments and multiple limiting factors restrict its large-scale application. This review systematically discusses plant-microbial interactions, including allelopathy, co-metabolic degradation, defensive interactions, and microbial recruitment. It focuses on analyzing the rhizosphere microbial degradation mechanisms of four common types of organic pollutants: pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). For the limiting factors of remediation efficiency, seven enhancement measures are detailed: manure/composting, biochar, surfactants, biofortification, nanomaterials, microbial electrochemical, and genetic modification. Finally, the key challenges and future development directions of each technology in practical applications are explored. This review provides theoretical basis and technical references for the optimization and engineering of rhizosphere remediation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106208"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nickel ion removal from mine wastewater using eco-friendly activated carbon/Ca(OH)2 from banana Peels: IoT-Based real-time monitoring implemented","authors":"Sri Auliyah Azis ,&nbsp;Dahlang Tahir ,&nbsp;Rachid Masrour ,&nbsp;Vicram Setiawan ,&nbsp;Heryanto Heryanto ,&nbsp;Ahmed Akouibaa ,&nbsp;Ali Hamed Alomari ,&nbsp;Siswanto Siswanto","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing demand for nickel in the industrial sector has led to significant Ni²⁺ contamination in the aquatic environment, especially from mine wastewater. This study successfully synthesized eco-friendly biocomposite adsorbents through a blending-thermal method by integrating activated carbon (AC) from ripe (sample 1) and unripe (sample 2) banana peels with Ca(OH)₂ from limestone. The adsorption performance of both biocomposites was evaluated for Ni²⁺ removal from aqueous solutions. The results indicated that the sample 1/Ca(OH)₂ biocomposite attained a removal efficiency of 93 %, marginally surpassing the 92.5 % demonstrated by sample 2/Ca(OH)₂, thereby affirming the enhanced adsorption capacity of AC derived from ripe banana peels. Morphological analysis using SEM revealed distinct surface characteristics; with sample 1 resembling oyster mushroom-like structures and sample 2 exhibiting lettuce-like forms, both possessing marshmallow-like surface textures. IoT-based real-time monitoring showed optimal conditions for Ni²⁺ adsorption at 28–30 °C and low pH. The most significant reduction in absorbance occurred within 200 min due to rapid contact, followed by gradual degradation of pollutants and stabilisation of pH over time. Additionally, the adsorption ability was also attributed to the results of XRD analysis, which showed a decrease in amorphous index with a corresponding increase in crystallinity index upon incorporation of Ca(OH)₂, while FTIR spectra confirmed the increased presence of carbonate groups (CO₃²⁻), which contributed to the enhanced binding of metal ions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106210"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does optimization contribute to fundamental science significantly?","authors":"Ji-Dong Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106204","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106204","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scientific research can be conducted at several levels, conceptual, mechanistic or observation description. It is evident that an increasing number of manuscripts are using optimization of an engineering process or system to generate results for the contents of an intended manuscript. This phenomenon is especially prevalent in research in applied engineering and applied science when innovative research hypothesis is apparently lacking. The weakness of doing in this way is that a high impact scientific question is not identified and focused for an important research topic leading to a publication. The optimization parameters may be useful for practical application and implementation. It shall be clearly distinguished between these two, so that an effective research planning can be made to advance science for knowledge and engineering for practical application to improve living quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106204"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145463017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteus spp. as potential agents for polyethylene (PE) bioremediation: Isolation, identification, and comparative degradation analysis","authors":"Sujata Dey ,&nbsp;Ajaya Kumar Rout ,&nbsp;Koushik Ghosh ,&nbsp;Ajoy Saha ,&nbsp;Vikash Kumar ,&nbsp;Basanta Kumar Das ,&nbsp;Bijay Kumar Behera","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyethylene (PE) constitutes nearly 50% of the total microplastic (MP) waste worldwide, and their accumulation in the environment poses significant ecological concerns. PE persists in the environment for centuries, accumulating in landfills and aquatic ecosystems, where it adsorbs heavy metals and organic pollutants, entering food chains and posing severe ecological and health risks, including endocrine disruption and cellular toxicity. Bioremediation methods using microorganisms to degrade synthetic polymers has emerged as a sustainable alternative. However, only a limited number of microbes have been identified so far, primarily due to the challenges of culturing potential degraders under laboratory conditions and the highly resistant structure of PE. In this study, we isolated two strains, <em>Proteus penneri</em> ND-SD-4709 and <em>Proteus vulgaris</em> BKB-SD-13892, from urban plastic waste disposal sites and investigated their PE-degrading potential. Both strains utilized PE as a carbon source, as confirmed by weight loss (19.13±0.40% for <em>P. penneri</em> ND-SD-4709 and 17.30±0.55% for <em>P. vulgaris</em> BKB-SD-13892), polymer reduction rate (K=0.00177 day⁻¹±0.00003 for <em>P. penneri</em> ND-SD-4709 and 0.00158 day⁻¹±0.00006 for <em>P. vulgaris</em> BKB-SD-13892), and calculation of half-life (t_1/2=391.80±8.69 for <em>P. penneri</em> ND-SD-4709 and 438.22±15.31 for <em>P. vulgaris</em> BKB-SD-13892) after 120 days of incubation in a carbon-free medium. Biodegradation was further validated using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), which showed structural alterations, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), which revealed surface erosion in PE following microbial treatment. Additionally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified degradation intermediates whose kinetic profiling revealed superior polyethylene degradation efficacy through biodegradation efficiency metrics. The results demonstrate that <em>P. penneri</em> ND-SD-4709 exhibits faster and more consistent polyethylene degradation kinetics than <em>P. vulgaris</em> BKB-SD-13892. Our work offers a laboratory-based comparative analysis of two different underexplored <em>Proteus</em> spp., followed by effective methodological framework for isolation, selection, and evaluation of specific polymer-degrading microorganisms using advanced analytical techniques. These findings have significant implications for developing PE-waste management strategies like enzyme characterization, metabolic engineering, and field-scale validation to enhance degradation kinetics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 106205"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}