Institutional Repository
Technical University of Crete
Technical University of Crete
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| URI: | http://purl.tuc.gr/dl/dias/0DFDD0A8-B44A-4513-A035-D507D39B253A | ||
| Year | 2025 | ||
| Type of Item | Diploma Work | ||
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| Bibliographic Citation | Alexandros Dardamanis, "Biodegradation of aged high-density polyethylene microplastic pellets (HDPE) using marine microbial community", Diploma Work, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2025 https://doi.org/10.26233/heallink.tuc.102991 | ||
| Appears in Collections |
Plastic has become fully established as an integral part of everyday life, serving a wide range of needs in modern society. Despite its numerous advantages, it is responsible for serious environmental consequences, such as pollution of the seas and land, with significant impacts on both organisms and human health. Its presence in the aquatic environment causes a multitude of problems, including the transfer of toxic pollutants through the food chain and the disruption of marine ecosystems. Marine plastic waste varies in form, composition, and size, with plastic pellets being a characteristic example. Due to their widespread dispersion, even in remote areas such as Antarctica, and their resistance to degradation, plastics have become a global environmental issue.This thesis focuses on the study of the biodegradation potential of aged high-density polyethylene (HDPE) microplastic particles by marine microorganisms collected from the pelagic zone of the Souda Bay in Chania, Crete. The microspheres (pellets) underwent a five-month exposure to UV-A radiation to simulate photodegradation conditions. Subsequently, experiments were conducted in a simulated marine microcosm, initially without the addition of nutrients and later with the addition of glucose, in order to assess its effect on biodegradation. The analyses performed focused both on the polymer itself and on the biofilm formed on its surface. Measurements included weight, microplastic size distribution, infrared spectroscopy using attenuated total reflectance (ATR), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and quantitative determination of microbial growth, development of extracellular polymeric substances (proteins), and cell counts on both the polymer and the biofilm.Overall, it was found that the marine microorganisms were capable of growing and surviving under the experimental conditions, regardless of the presence of added nutrients. However, the addition of glucose as an alternative carbon source appeared to enhance microbial activity, although it did not significantly affect the biodegradation of HDPE.
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