Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is the predominant plasticizer being blended in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics to increase its flexibility, extensibility and workability. Since DEHP is only physically bound to the polymer network of PVC, it easily migrates into the surrounding environments, which in humans shown to cause many health problems, such as sterility, endocrine disruption, various cancers. We isolated and characterized several fungi and bacteria from heavily plastic contaminated soils in Kerala, viz., Aspergillus japonicas, A. parasiticus, Penicillium brocae. P. funiculosum, Fusarium subglutinans, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Achromobacter denitrificans, etc. We used PVC blood storage bag as a model for the bioremediation DEHP, which contained ~35% (w/w) DEHP as theplasticizer. Employing a batch process, the fungi listed above could completely remediate the DEHP bound to PVC blood bag by both in situ and ex situ techniques in a simple salt medium and the fungal biomass so obtained could be used as feed to biogas plant, and subsequently to organic manure; thus the carbon in DEHP is efficiently mineralized. Furthermore, the DEHP biodegradation pathway by A.denitrificans was analyzed and the crucial enzyme, esterase involved in the pathway studied in detail with its characteristics. Interestingly, A. denitrificans could remediate DEHP into a pharmaceutically active novel 25-Cprodigiosin analogue. In silico molecular docking studies performed to assess the binding affinities of this prodigiosin to various human targets showed that this novel prodigiosin is a potent drug interacting with human targets. In addition to this, in silico evidences for the toxicity of common phthalates and their metabolites on human molecular targets (steroid hormone receptors, PPAR-RXR subtypes, etc.) are also described.

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