Estimation of the number of aerobic polyhydroxyalkonate-degrading microorganisms and isolation of PHA-degraders in different environments

摘要

To assess the capacity of the natural environment for degrading PHA, the film-MPN method for estimating numbers of aerobic PHA-degraders in natural environments and isolating them based on the traditional MPN method was proposed. The method suggested here is that visual judgement of results is easier and simpler. The surfactant could be avoided even when PHA formed large rubber-like aggregations. Aerobic PHA-degraders could also be easily isolated from positive-growth tubes inoculated high dilution of environmental samples in the film-MPN method.