Exploring Microbial Solutions: Effective Biodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Plastic Using Bacteria Isolated from the Surabaya River, Indonesia

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is a compound composed of long chains of ethylene molecules (C2H4)n. LPDE can contaminate the environment and pose health risks due to the presence of additive plasticizers capable of bonding with heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of bacteria in degrading LDPE. The applied methods included analysis of the difference in the dry plastic weight and chemical structure changes, which was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) instrument. Furthermore, bacterial isolates were obtained from the surface of Surabaya River in Indonesia and purified for plastic degradation tests over a period of 30 days. The results showed that isolate S2 had a more effective capacity to degrade LDPE compared to S1 and S3. Isolate S2 achieved a reduction in the dry weight of plastic by 5.979%, while S1 and S3 had reductions of 0.638% and 0.264%, respectively. This reduction was reflected in changes to LDPE chemical structure, marked by lower intensity in hydroxyl (-OH), C-H, C=C, and C-O bonds compared to pure LDPE. The results suggested the potential of bacteria as agents for bioremediation in addressing future plastic pollution issues.