Biodegradasi Jenis Polimer PET Dan HDPE dengan Variasi Konsentrasi dan Masa Inkubasi Eco-Enzyme

Abstrak

The increasing environmental pollution caused by plastic waste necessitates eco-friendly solutions, one of which is the utilization of Eco-enzyme. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Eco-enzyme in degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics based on varying concentrations and incubation durations. The experimental design involved different Eco-enzyme concentrations (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100%) and fermentation periods (3, 4, and 5 months) over a 60-day incubation period. Observations focused on changes in mass and functional groups using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results demonstrated that the most significant degradation occurred in PET plastic treated with 100% Eco-enzyme fermented for 5 months, indicated by a mass reduction of 0.11 grams and the cleavage of ester and carbonyl groups. In contrast, HDPE exhibited limited degradation through oxidation. This study underscores the potential of Eco-enzyme as a biological agent for plastic waste management in the context of environmental biotechnology.