Scholarlink

<p>Plastic waste, especially in micropollutant form, has become a critical global environmental issue. This study investigates the integration of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into mycelium-based composites to isolate plastic waste from natural ecosystems. Four white-rot <i>Ganoderma</i> strains were evaluated for their PET-degrading capacity; and examined by SEM for colonization consistent with use of PET as the sole carbon source. The best-performing isolate (B8) was identified by ITS rDNA as <i>Ganoderma cf. resinaceum</i>; the sequence has been deposited in GenBank. This strain was applied to PET-containing composts composed of cardboard, coffee grounds, and rice husks to produce biocomposites via mycelial binding. Color change was quantified using L*a*b* values from three surface locations at baseline and 12&#xa0;months, indicating a shift from whiter toward warmer tones. Preliminary compression observations indicated lower small-strain stiffness but higher high-strain strength with densification without disintegration relative to PET-free controls. Surface swab and passive air assessments indicated low microbial loads within the tested scope. The process encapsulates PET within the composite matrix, supporting upcycling rather than degradation. We present a distinct transformation pathway—upcycling-by-encapsulation—in which shredded PET is captured and immobilized within a mycelial matrix and repurposed as a structural filler rather than degraded or fragmented. Taken with the 12-month stability data, this performance profile supports an industrial-symbiosis pathway in which encapsulated PET can be circulated across sectors as a contained, value-retaining filler. <i>Ganoderma</i>-based mycelium fabrication offers a scalable and sustainable alternative for reintroducing PET waste into use while minimizing environmental exposure.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste by mycelium-based biocomposite production processes: a long-term study on mechanical and microbial stability

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月13日

查看全文
  • S. K. Toker,
  • O. Kırdök

摘要

Plastic waste, especially in micropollutant form, has become a critical global environmental issue. This study investigates the integration of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into mycelium-based composites to isolate plastic waste from natural ecosystems. Four white-rot Ganoderma strains were evaluated for their PET-degrading capacity; and examined by SEM for colonization consistent with use of PET as the sole carbon source. The best-performing isolate (B8) was identified by ITS rDNA as Ganoderma cf. resinaceum; the sequence has been deposited in GenBank. This strain was applied to PET-containing composts composed of cardboard, coffee grounds, and rice husks to produce biocomposites via mycelial binding. Color change was quantified using L*a*b* values from three surface locations at baseline and 12 months, indicating a shift from whiter toward warmer tones. Preliminary compression observations indicated lower small-strain stiffness but higher high-strain strength with densification without disintegration relative to PET-free controls. Surface swab and passive air assessments indicated low microbial loads within the tested scope. The process encapsulates PET within the composite matrix, supporting upcycling rather than degradation. We present a distinct transformation pathway—upcycling-by-encapsulation—in which shredded PET is captured and immobilized within a mycelial matrix and repurposed as a structural filler rather than degraded or fragmented. Taken with the 12-month stability data, this performance profile supports an industrial-symbiosis pathway in which encapsulated PET can be circulated across sectors as a contained, value-retaining filler. Ganoderma-based mycelium fabrication offers a scalable and sustainable alternative for reintroducing PET waste into use while minimizing environmental exposure.