Degradation of a Plastic -- Poly Epsilon-Caprolactone -- by Hyphomycetes

Abstract

The Hyphomycetes, Aspergillus puniceus, A. ustus and Fusarium solani, were isolated from enriched greenhouse soil, and shown to be capable of using the polyester, poly ε-caprolactone, as their sole carbon source. Possible synergistic and successional effects were studied. Statistical evaluation showed that F. solani was initially the most effective decomposer of the plastic, but a spontaneous adaptive mutant of A. ustus, which arose during the study, exhibited even higher activity. The monomer, ε-caprolactone, could also be used as sole carbon source by F. solani and the A. ustus mutant.