{"paper_id":"2a7f3edd-5130-4262-a119-e44adf4bd262","body_text":"Unveiling Fungal Proficiency in Microplastic Degradation: A Comprehensive Research Investigation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Unveiling Fungal Proficiency in Microplastic Degradation: A Comprehensive Research Investigation SHAYMAA ARIF, Fikrat M. Hassan, Saad Sabah Fakhry, Safaa Al-Deen Ahmed Shanter Al-Qaysi, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent pollutants in environments that are colonized by various groups of microbes. Fungi are considered among the most efficient microbial degraders of MPs because they produce salient enzymes and can survive on recalcitrant compounds with limited nutrients. While most studies have focused on the occurrence of MPs in wastewater treatment systems, MP degradation in fresh water and wastewater is generally poorly understood. Therefore, the current study included the isolation of some genera of fungi from the Tigris River water environment that have the ability to degrade MPs in both natural and artificial environments utilizing synthetic media. Using weight loss measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the chemical structure of the plastic polymers, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the size and morphology of the microplastics and the degree of plastic consumed by the aquatic fungus. The biodegradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS) by the aquatic fungus Aspergillus carbonarius and Eurotium sp. was also examined. Overall, Aspergillus carbonarius and Eurotium sp. were able to degrade HDPE more efficiently than PS without requiring any prior microplastic treatment. Therefore, the ability of fungi to degrade MPs was confirmed by weight loss, FTIR, and SEM data. Therefore, the results indicate that the isolated fungus has a promising future for polymer breakdown in both artificial and natural environments. Investigating the long-term impacts and gaining a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms of microplastic disintegration should be the main goals of future research. Microplastic Degradation Aspergillus carbonarius Eurotium sp Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 1. Introduction Plastics are now a need in everyday living, and they are produced on a massive global scale. Its product line includes industrial goods, tote bags, building supplies and materials for packaging and wrapping. An estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste have been produced globally in the past several years (Huang et al . 2021; Li et al . 2018). Depending on the availability of various petrochemical products and feed stocks, the petrochemical industry in Iraq actively contributes to the establishment of plastic industrial clusters and clusters of micro, small- and medium-sized industries by providing the necessary feedstock for these industries in a variety of fields and industrial sectors, such as the building and plastic packaging industries. Additionally, the industries that feed the automobile, textile, machinery and equipment manufacturing industry (Rahman and Buraihi 2023). Typically, polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) make up approximately 40% of the world's plastic manufacturing. Because they lack hydrolysable groups, polymers with a carbon‒carbon (C-C) backbone in particular are less prone to breakdown (Zhang et al . 2022). Secondary environmental degradation arises from the treatment of plastic trash in landfills (Gross 2017; Schwabl et al . 2019). The majority of plastic waste (70–80%) is carried to the ocean by rivers (Horton et al . 2017) and then scattered throughout the seafloor, shoreline, and isolated places that are far from populated areas (Cau et al . 2017; Quero and Luna 2017). The most significant chemical characteristics of microplastics are their surface groups and chemical makeup. Microplastic surfaces are composed of polymers, colors, additives (plasticizers, antioxidants), and pollutants. These substances are easily released into the environment during the manufacture, usage, and weathering of plastics (O'Connor et al . 2016; Silva et al . 2016). The porosity, molecular size, and degree of degradation of polymers are physical characteristics that affect how quickly a chemical component leaches (Hermabessiere et al. 2017). Surface aging might promote additive leakage. The chemical content and distribution coefficient of the source material dictate the effect, which is readily apparent (Hahladakis et al . 2018). Because of the mixing of organic chemicals with other materials, MPs provide a special substrate for microbial adhesion. MPs can overcome environmental constraints on microorganisms due to their coarse texture and high organic content (Bowley et al . 2021). Because of these characteristics, MPs are perfect substrates for environmental microbes (Li et al . 2016; Cai et al . 2019). Hence, it is imperative to explore the development of new biodegradable plastics or innovative biodegradation techniques (Silva et al . 2018; Tang and Chen 2019). Biodegradation is the natural process through which organic polymer materials breakdown into smaller compounds, including CO2 and H2O (Lucas et al . 2008; Shah et al . 2008). In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the potential of fungi as natural bioremediators capable of degrading MPs. The biocatalytic strategy can be integrated as a complementary approach alongside existing treatment technologies to attain exceptional bioremediation results and efficiently eliminate emerging pollutants from wastewater (Pete 2022; Preethi et al . 2022). Fungi are ubiquitous organisms in freshwater ecosystems, and their enzymatic machinery has evolved to break down complex organic compounds, making them promising candidates for microplastic remediation. Aquatic mycology is closely linked, to a significant degree, with human-made alterations in freshwater environments, particularly concerning emerging pollutants such as MPs (Grossart et al . 2021). This highlights the critical role that the mycobiota, the fungal community, plays in the biodegradation of MPs within freshwater environments. Understanding the mechanisms and efficacy of fungus-driven microplastic remediation has significant implications for developing eco-friendly and sustainable solutions to combat microplastic pollution (Gallo et al . 2020; Dey et al. 2023). Fungi utilize extracellular and intracellular enzymes to break down plastic polymers into monomers. Under aerobic conditions, this process generates carbon dioxide and water, while under anaerobic conditions, it produces methane. Additionally, fungi secrete hydrophobins, which are surface proteins that play a pivotal role in the bioremediation process by enhancing substrate mobility and increasing its bioavailability (Solanki et al . 2022). Microbial enzymes are essential contributors to the biodegradation of polyethylene (PE) through microorganisms, particularly fungi. These enzymes facilitate the oxidation or hydrolysis of PE by generating extracellular enzymes (Kumar et al . 2013; Kumar Sen and Raut 2015). Lucas et al. (2008) reported that microorganisms play key roles in depolymerization, assimilation, and mineralization processes. Nonetheless, the hydrophilic nature of PE surfaces presents a challenge for initial colonization by most microorganisms, as noted by Hadar and Sivan (2004). To address this issue, microbial enzymes can enhance the hydrophilicity of PE, facilitating the attachment of microorganisms to its surface, as demonstrated by Tribedi and Sil (2013). In recent years, various microbial enzymes with the ability to degrade polyethylene (PE) have been identified. Examples include laccases, manganese peroxidase, and lignin peroxidases, as reported by Wei and Zimmermann (2017). These enzymes play a role in the degradation process, including terminal oxidation, chain cleavage, and fatty acid metabolism, as outlined by Albertsson et al . (1987). However, the precise mechanisms of these PE-degrading enzymes remain unreported. This study aimed to provide insights that can inform conservation efforts and guide future research into harnessing the natural abilities of fungi for freshwater ecosystem restoration. After identifying microplastic contamination in the Tigris River in the city of Baghdad (Shukur et al . 2023), this study aimed to isolate the fungi present in the Tigris River and then evaluate the ability of the fungi to decompose microplastics. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Study Area and Sample Collection The Tigris River passes through Baghdad, and its length spans approximately forty-nine kilometers (Al-Ansari et al . 2018; Chabuk et al . 2020). Within Baghdad city, five sites were selected along the river. These sites covered the river's course from the north until it reached the southern exit of Baghdad (Fig. 1 ). Site one (44°34′64.40″E, 33°42′86.90″N) is located in the upper reach region and includes an agricultural area. Site 2 (44°33′88.61″E, 33°40′76.32″N) is an agricultural and recreational area. Site 3 (44°38′33.95″E, 33°34′15.19″N) and site 4 (44°37′38.50″E, 33°28′35.97″N) represented the mid-reaches of the river, which are characterized as urban areas with many restaurants, fisheries, and residential buildings and are located near the main medical city hospital (site 3) and sanitation station (site 4). Moreover, site 5 (44°50′18.07″E, 33°22′500.6″N) is situated in the downreach-reach area with the assistance of the sponge factory, the PVC factory, and the Rustamiya station, which is the largest water treatment plant. Figure 1 . From December 2021 to November 2022, water samples were collected from the banks and the central region of the river. The collection took place during two distinct seasons, the wet and dry seasons, which are determined based on the percentage of humidity (RH%), as shown in Suppl. 1. An RH% above 50 indicates a rainy season, while a value below 50 indicates a dry season (Aljanabi et al . 2022). The sample collection time ranged from eight in the morning to five in the evening. Three replicate samples were collected at each site in one-liter glass bottles. The bottles were rinsed with river water before filling. The samples were stored in a cooler to maintain their integrity. The samples were transferred to the laboratory at the Ministry of Science and Technology/Food Contamination Research Center, Iraq, within 24 hours. 2.2 Culture media 2.2.1 Preparing Artificial Media Culture media were created in accordance with the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Following preparation, the culture medium was divided among 500 ml flasks, autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121°C and 15 psi, and then transferred to sterile Petri plates (20 ml per plate). 2.2.2 Laboratory-prepared Media A- Czapex Dox Medium In accordance with Narasimha et al . (2006), Czapex Dox medium was prepared by adding 30 g of sucrose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium sulfate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate, and a pH of 7.3 to one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes under 15 psi of pressure. B- Czapex-Modified Carboxymythel Cellules Medium Czapex medium was prepared by adding the following ingredients to one liter of distilled water: 10 gm of CMC, 2 gm of sodium nitrate, 1 gm of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 gm of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 gm of potassium chloride, and 0.01 gm of ferrous sulfate, pH 7.3. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes at 15 psi of pressure (Yoon et al . 2007). C- Czapex-modified cell culture medium Czapex medium was created by mixing 6 g of cellulose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes at 15 psi of pressure (Yoon et al. 2007). 2.2.3 Solution Preparation: A- 1 N NaCl solution. According to Devi and Kumar (2012), 58.44 gm of sodium chloride was dissolved in one liter of distilled water. B- Congo Red Solution 0.1%. According to Devi and Kumar (2013), 1 gm of congo red powder was dissolved in 1 liter of distilled water. C-Lactophenol Cotton Blue Stain In accordance with Ellis (1994), 0.05 gm of cotton blue was dissolved in one liter of distilled water, and the mixture was then allowed to stand overnight to remove any remaining insoluble dye. Two grams of phenol crystals were added to 20 ml of lactic acid in a glass beaker, and the phenol was dissolved with the help of a magnetic stirrer. Then, 40 ml of glycerol was added, and cotton blue was filtered into the resulting solution (phenol, glycerol, and lactic acid). The mixture was then mixed and kept at room temperature for use in staining and microscopic fungal identification. D- Broth for Fungi Growth on MPs without Carbon An isolated fungus-specific medium broth was prepared from the following components per liter of D.W. (0.001 g of zinc sulfate heptahydrate, 0.001 g of iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate, 0.001 g of copper sulphate, 0.001 g of yeast extract, 0.5 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of ammoniumacetal krist.resint, 0.1 g of magnesium sulphate, and 0.01 g of calcium chloride). The control flask for fungal growth was modified with 2% sucrose without MPs. The pH was adjusted to between 5 and 6, which promoted fungal growth (Parker et al. 2016). 2.3. Preparing MP Disks To prepare the microplastic disk, we first determined the type of microplastic required for the experiment, which included HDPE and PS. Then, we ground the microplastic granules with an industrial grinder until they became powder. Then, we took a specific weight (0.5 g), compressed them into a disk with a diameter of 1 cm (Fig. 2), sterilized them well and placed them in closed Petri dishes. To ensure that there was no contamination of the discs, the mixture was placed in a conical flask containing modified medium without any carbon source and then closed and sterilized in an autoclave (Cole 2016; Ameen et al . 2015). Figure (2) : 2.4 Biological Samples To avoid contamination with nonaquatic fungi from air and soil fungi, samples for biological analysis and isolation of aquatic fungus were collected in glass bottles with a dark and sterile capacity of 1 L, which were opened under the water surface 10–30 cm deep. The bottles were kept closed while submerged, and the samples were taken directly to the laboratory, with the operation taking no more than 2–3 hours and taking place in refrigerated settings utilizing a refrigerated box on the hottest days of summer. Laboratory tests that are required (Al-Qaissi et al. 2022) 2.4.1 Isolation and identification After collecting water samples from the study sites, 10 ml of collected water samples were inoculated on autoclaved potato dextrose agar (HI-MEDIA) media (all cultured media were sterilized using an autoclave at 121°C and 1.5 psi for 15 minutes), and the antibiotic chloramphenicol (0.05 mg/l) was added to the culture media to prevent the growth of bacteria. After that, all Petri dishes were incubated for 7 to 10 days at 28 ± 2°C. The fungal colonies were differentiated and purified to obtain pure and single colonies from all fungi isolated during this study (Ellis 1971 and Jayawardena et al. 2022). The isolated fungal colonies were identified according to the morphological and microscopic characteristics of the isolates, and identification was carried out according to previous methods (Dugan 2006; Salawudeen et al . 2017). Morphological identification was achieved by studying the forward and reverse pigmentation of grown colonies on PDA media, growth rate, and general morphology. The microscopic observations of the shape and anatomy of the fungal hyphae, in addition to the morphology of the conidia, were used to identify positive fungal colonies under a microscope. After the fungi were identified, they were transferred to potato dextrose broth (PDB) supplemented with glycerol (20%) for long-term preservation until the study was completed. The occurrence of the isolated fungi was calculated according to the methods of Sarma and Hyde (2001). The procedure was adopted to calculate the presence of each species according to the following equation: % occurrence \\(=\\frac{No.of positive samples}{Total number of samples}\\) × 100 2.4.2 Investigation of the Fungal Growth Ability on CMC and Cellulose After the fungal isolates were identified, a primary investigation was performed to determine the production of hemicellulytic enzymes by the isolated fungi and their ability to grow on culture media modified with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). This experiment was carried out by adding (1% w/v) each of these substrates to the culture medium CMC as the sole source of carbon according to Kovács et al. (2022). The fungal isolates were cultured at the center of the Petri dishes, and all plates were incubated at 28 ± 2°C for 7 days. Cultured medium was mixed with 10 ml of 0.1% aqueous Congo red solution for 15 minutes, followed by a 15-minute wash using 1 M NaCl. The positive results were calculated by measuring the halo zone formed around fungal colonies using a ruler (Zohri and Ali 2022). For the secondary investigation, the fungal isolates that showed positive results on CMC were cultured in a more complex medium (cellulose). In this study, we evaluated the growth of the isolate and compared its growth with that of the ideal culture medium Czapek Dox agar, which is the sole source of carbon according to Kovács et al. (2022). 2.4.3 Promotion of Fungal Growth and Biomass Accumulation on HDPE and PS After preparing microplastic discs of both types (HDPE and PS) with a weight of 0.5 g and a diameter of 1 cm, they were sterilized and transferred to a conical flask containing 150 ml of broth free of dextrose and any carbon source. All conical flasks were closed and then autoclaved for sterilization at 121°C for 15 min at 1.5 psi (Su et al . 2022). The flasks were left to cool to room temperature, inoculated with fungal isolates (0.5 ml of each fungal isolate per conical flask) and then kept in a rotating shaker with a gyrating speed of 100 rpm for four weeks at a temperature of 28 ± 2°C, with three replicates of each fungal isolate for each treatment, the fungi grown on the microplastic discs were then completely removed and washed with deionized water. The MP discs were then dried in an oven at 90°C overnight and weighed accurately again (Ameen et al. 2015). The effect of fungi on the use of HDPE and PS was evaluated by weight variation and weight loss percentage analysis using the following equation: Weight loss (%) = {(initial weight − final weight)/initial weight}×100 This is evidence of fungal activity in decomposing MPs (Ameen et al. 2015; Ojha et al. 2017). 2.4.4 Detection of Fungal Isolate Enzymatic Activity Cellulose detection : Czapex medium was created by mixing 6 g of cellulose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes at 15 psi. By growing the colony in this medium, the utilization of cellulose was identified (Yoon et al . 2007). Amylase detection : The ingredients of the starch agar medium were as follows: 1.5 g/l of yeast extract, 0.5 g/l of peptone, 1.5 g/l of sodium chloride, 10 g/l of starch, 15 g/l of agar, and a pH of 5.6. By saturating the culture plates with recently made iodine solution (0.2 g of iodine and 0.4 g of potassium iodide in 100 ml of distilled water), amylase can be detected. The amylase-containing media gains color from this solution, creating a translucent halo area (Ganesh et al . 2017). Laccase detection : Pepton 3.0 gm/l, glucose 10.0 gm/l, KH2PO4 0.6 gm/l, ZnSO4 0.001 gm/l, K2HPO4 0.4 gm/l, FeSO4 0.0005 gm/l, MnSO4 0.05 gm/l, MgSO4 0.5 gm/l, agar 20 gm/l, and 0.02% guaiacol indicator (dissolved 0.6205 gm from guaicol in 100 ml of D.W. at a concentration of 0.05 M) are the contents of the culture media (Solid Modified Olga medium). After 72 hours of incubation, the color of the medium changes from yellow to a reddish-brown color (Ganesh et al . 2017). CMCase (Carboxymythel Cellules) detection : Czapex medium was made by mixing 10 g of CMC, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. It was then autoclaved at 121 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes at 15 Psi. To improve hydrolytic zone visibility, the following treatments were applied to the plates: 10 ml of 0.1% aqueous Congo red solution was used to flood the plates. To stop the coloring, the Congo red solution was poured out after 15 minutes, and then the plates were flooded again with 10 ml of 1 M NaCl solution. The salt solution was eliminated after an additional 15 minutes, and the existence of clearing zones around the colonies indicated CMC activity (Yoon et al. 2007). Lipase detection : Potato dextrose agar combined with olive oil or Tween 80 was used to detect the opalescence that formed around the fungal colony (Griebeler et al. 2011). Protease detection : Casein agar: The plates were examined for colony clear zones (Nygren et al. 2007). Pectinase detection : The isolate was cultured on modified Czapek-Dox agar media. The contents of the samples were as follows (g/l): 3.0 g of NaNo3, 1.0 g of K2HPO4, and MgSo4. H2O (0.50 g), KCl (0.50 g), FeSo4 (0.01 g), sucrose (30 g), agar (15.0 g), and 1.5% carbon pectin were used. To limit the growth of bacteria, 0.1% ampicillin was added to the agar media. After adjusting the pH to 5.6, the mixture was autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121°C and 1.5 psi. After the plates were centrally inoculated with 2% fungal spore suspension, they were cultured for three to five days at 28 ± 2°C. By saturating the culture plates with recently made iodine-potassium iodide solution (1.0 g of iodine and 5.0 g of potassium iodide in 330 ml of distilled water), pectin utilization was detected. The pectinolytic activity is illustrated by the translucent halo zone formed when pectin is broken down, which is colored by this solution (Carrasco et al. 2019). 2.4.5 Examination of HDPE and PS Disc Using a Light Microscope The MP discs were examined using a light microscope before treatment with fungi. After four weeks of treatment with fungal isolates, during the incubation period, the discs were washed with deionized water to remove fungal overgrowth on the surface of the MPs and then stained with cotton blue to observe the extent of colonization of fungal structures and their attachment to the surface of the microplastic (Pant et al. 2023). 2.4.6 Determining the Optimal Conditions for Fungal Growth on MPs (pH, Temperature and Incubation Period) To determine the optimal conditions for the biodegradation of HDPE and PS microplastic-modified Czapex medium, the spore suspension and pH were adjusted by using 0.1 N HCl and 0.1 N NaOH to 5, 5.5, and 6, and the mixture was incubated at different temperatures (28, 30, and 32°C) for 30, 40, and 50 days. To identify the optimal biodegradation conditions for a specific combination of fungi and microplastic (MP), the parameter that provided the best fit to the experimentally obtained data for that particular combination was utilized (Bule Možar et al . 2023). 2.4.7 Analyzing HDPE and PS Discs Using Scanning Electron Microscopy In this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the physical analysis of MPs treated with fungal isolates and control microplastic discs that were kept before treatment. The samples were submerged for three hours in a solution of 2.5% glutaraldehyde phosphate buffer. Following liquid removal, three sodium cacodylate solution rinses were performed on the samples. After one hour of fixation in osmium tetroxide, the samples were washed with distilled water. Following a 10-minute succession of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ethanol to dehydrate the samples, they were washed with distilled water and mounted on sample stabs. Following their final gold coating, the samples were examined via SEM at a working distance of 15 cm, 20 kV, and a T1 grain size of 40 µm (Ameen et al. 2015). This overcomes the limitations inherent in stereomicroscopy. SEM enables the acquisition of high-definition, clear images of the external surface of MPs, facilitating the differentiation between synthetic MPs and various organic materials commonly associated with them (Cooper and Corcoran 2010). Additionally, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) is employed for elemental analysis to determine the chemical compositions of plastic particles (Dey et al. 2021), and images were taken of the control MPs (HDPE and PS) and compared to the MP discs with fungi (Gkoutselis et al. 2021). 2.4.8 Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis To measure the functional groups of the MPs, FTIR was used at wavelengths between 400 and 4000 cm − 1 at a temperature of 26 ± 2°C and a resolution of 4.0 cm − 1 . The microplastic discs used were dried for the control treatment, and the microplastic discs were treated with fungi. Distilled water was used to wash the MP discs. After the samples were exposed to 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ethanol for ten minutes, they were allowed to dry (Olesen et al . 2017). 3. Results for Biological Examination 3.1 Isolation and identification of fungi In the present study, the results of the isolation and identification of fungi indicated that 23 genera were isolated from Tigris River water samples during the two seasons. All the isolated fungal species were purified using the agar plate pour method and identified and characterized primarily according to the external appearance, backdrop, and color of the colonies on PDA media. Light microscopy was then used to investigate the features and characteristics of the hyphae, conidia, conidiophores and spore shapes of the isolated fungi. During this study, 524 fungal colonies were isolated from all water samples collected in the dry and wet seasons. Their occurrence was quantified, and they were subsequently identified, resulting in the isolation of 23 fungal genera. The results of the present study indicated that the culture features of the fungal isolates, including term surface characteristics; reverse, color, edge and diameter forward representation of the surface; and reverse features of the isolated fungus, were identified (Fig. 3) via primary screening. After that, each fungal genus was isolated in special petri dishes (Fig. 4). Figure 3 Figure 4 Microscopic observations of the fungal isolates are shown in Fig. 5, which shows the conidia, conidiophores and spores. Figure 5 Among the isolated genera, Aspergillus spp. was consistently found to be the most common among the fungi isolated during the study period, with over 56 isolates (10.69%), which had hyaline conidiophores, septate hyphae and a redial conidial head bearing spores, followed by Penicillium spp. Fifty of the isolates (9.54%) were isolated via microscopy, with conidiophores, septate hyphae and secondary branches. Fusarium spp. had septate hyphae shaped of multiseptate canoe attached to the conidiophores, and Alternaria spp. was the fourth most common genus (34, 6.49%), as shown in Table 1. 3.2. Investigation of the Fungal Growth Ability on CMC Agar Medium and Cellulose The results of the primary assay of enzymatic activity showed that 57 fungal isolates out of the total obtained isolates had the ability to degrade the substrate CMC agar medium to smaller oligosaccharides or monosaccharides through the production of an extracellular enzyme called hemicellulase. The fungal isolates that grew on CMC media exhibited a halo zone around the colonies, whereas the fungal isolates that grew without any halo zone formed around the fungal colonies (Fig. 6). The current results imply that a large amount of hemicellulase is produced by Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. This enzymatic activity is important for the development of biotechnological applications in industry, according to Gomashe et al. (2013). Figure (6) : The sizes of the halos around the fungal colonies varied according to the type of fungal genus and species. The size of the halo zone ranged from 75 mm to 60 mm in the fungal genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria , and the size of the fungal zone ranged from 30 mm to 20 mm in the following genera: Cladosporium, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, Mucor, Botrytis, Aureobasidium and Chalaropsis . A total of 41 fungal isolates that were able to grow on cellulose were obtained (Fig. 7). The examination was based on the growth of the fungus, and its growth was compared with that of fungi grown on modified Czapek dox agar. Figure (7) : There were previous studies on the enzymatic hydrolytic ability of Aspergillus fungi that were isolated from the Paranaense rainforest (Argentina), and the ability of these fungi to undergo cell degradation was evaluated using Congo staining and fluorescence panel tests for carboxymethylcellulase, beta-glucosidase, and cellobiohydrolase; all the results were positive. This study demonstrated the ability of Aspergillus fungi to process cellulosic biomass (Díaz et al. 2021). In a study by El Bergadi et al . (2014), 31 fungi were isolated from an old library in the city of Fez in Morocco, and nine isolates were obtained with a positive result in terms of CMC degradation. The most common species were Mucor racemosus, Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus oryzae , Mucor racemosus and Penicillium chrysogenum , as were other less common species, such as Aspergillus melleus . Hypocrea lixii and Schizophyllum commune. 3.3. Promoting Fungal Growth and Biomass Accumulation on HDPE and PS The results of the present study revealed that among 41 fungal isolates grown on MPs as the sole carbon source under optimum conditions, visual observation of HDPE and PS samples treated with fungal isolates revealed limited fungal colonization, while visible growth was observed primarily in areas inoculated with A. carbonarius , Eurotium sp., A. westerndijkiae , and A. glaucus . These fungal genera exhibited heavy growth and greater biomass accumulation on HDPE substrates than on PS substrates. The results indicate the selective nature of fungal decomposition toward these plastics, suggesting potential differences in plastic degradability between different fungal species. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of fungal biodegradation capabilities and provide insight into developing sustainable plastic waste management strategies. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the fungal isolates, including their probable identities, strongly differed among the four fungal isolates (Table 2). Pigments and coloration, including green and whitish spores with septate and nonseptate hyphae, were observed in the fungal isolates (Fig. 8). The four fungal isolates were investigated for protease, pectinase, lipase, laccase and amylase production, as shown in Table 2. These fungal enzymes play an important role in utilizing and breaking down the chemical bonds of plastic polymers and using them as a carbon source. Figure (8) : During a laboratory experiment conducted by the researchers Pramila and Ramesh (2011), where fungal isolates from the sea were exposed to growth in a medium containing low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as the sole source of carbon, an increase in the weight of the fungi was observed. This is evidence of fungal consumption of MPs as a carbon source, and the fungus was identified as an Aspergillus spp. Additionally, during a laboratory experiment conducted by the researchers Ameen et al. 2015, fungal isolates were taken from tidal water and sediment collected from mangrove trees on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia; six fungal isolates demonstrated the ability to grow on pieces of LDPE, and the growth of fungi on the surface of the pieces was detected by SEM. 3.4. Detection of Fungal Enzymes The production enzymes that could induce the biodegradation of HDPE and PS, A. carbonarius and Eurotium sp., showed promising results (Table 3 and Fig. 9). The ability of these microbes to degrade organic and inorganic materials such as cellulose, hemielluloses, lignin and starch could enable the aforementioned fungi to quickly degrade polymers (Kumar et al. 2013); therefore, the growth and MP biodegradation of the 2 fungal isolates were tested in the present study. A previous study showed the ability of fungi to decompose MPs via enzymes secreted by fungi, such as laccases and peroxidases, which are used for decomposing lignin, and the ability of fungi to decompose polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE). Polyurethane (PUR) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are degraded by esterase enzymes such as lipases and cutinases (Temporiti et al. 2022). Varshney et al . (2023) reported the ability of several fungal species, such as Colletotrichum fructicola , Trichoderma viride , Cephalosporium sp., Stagonosporopsis citrulli , Diaporthe Italiana and Aspergillus nomius , to decompose plastic polymers of various types, as fungal strains consume plastic polymers as the sole source of carbon and convert them into environmentally friendly carbon compounds. The above studies agree with the current study. Figure 9 3.5 Examination of HDPE and PS Disc Using Light Microscopy The ability of the obtained fungal isolates to grow and utilize HDPE and PS as carbon and nitrogen sources was tested. The growth of A. carbonarius and Euroitum sp . in HDPE- and PS-containing media indicated that the isolates could utilize HDPE and PS as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources for growth. Based on these results, it was speculated that when HDPE and PS were used together, the metabolic activity of the fungi increased since they could use HDPE and PS films (Fig. 10A), which clearly indicates the growth of fungal mycelia on HDPE and PS molecules, further indicating and suggesting that exopolymer substances on the surface of fungi might be involved in this process. Since HDPE and PS are not soluble, the hydrophobicity of exopolymer substances on mycelia is essential in the absorption process. Seneviratne et al. (2006) reported that fungi are considered to have a greater ability to degrade MPs because they secrete hydrophobic proteins, bind to polymer surfaces, grow faster and can penetrate various substances (Kim and Rhee 2003) (Fig. 10B). Figure (10) : 3.6 Determining the Optimal Conditions for Fungal Growth on Microplastics (pH, temperature and incubation period) The degradation was determined by calculating the weight loss in the HDPA and PS discs before and after fungal treatment: After 30, 40 and 50 days of incubation at 28, 30 and 32°C at pH 5, 5.5 and 6, two fungi were isolated from HDPE and PS degraded by A. carbonarius (Table 4) and Eurotium sp. (Table 5 ) under continuous shaking. Table (1): List of identified fungal genera in Tigris River during the study period. Fungal genera No of fungal isolates occurrence % Aspergillus 56 10.69 Penicillium 50 9.54 Fusarium 41 7.82 Alternaria 34 6.49 Cladosporium 25 4.77 Trichoderma 27 5.15 Candida 21 4.01 Rhizopus 27 5.15 Mucor 17 3.24 Botrytis 16 3.05 Aureobasidium 21 4.01 Chalaropsis 19 3.63 Keratinophilic 16 3.05 Exophiala 15 2.86 Cryptococcus 15 2.86 Acremonium 17 3.24 Eurotium 23 4.39 Rhodotorula 15 2.86 Paecilomyces 14 2.67 Phoma 14 2.67 Scedosporium 13 2.48 Sporothrix 13 2.48 Verticillium 15 2.86 Table (2): Characteristics of fungal isolates used for HDPA and PS biodegradation No Fungi identified Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics 1 A. carbonarius Un sexual state, basal mycelium white, conidial heads globos to radiate, walled smooth to rough. Vesicles globos to subglobs, aspergilla biseriate 2 A. glaucus Un sexual state, filamentous fungi, thin walled, conidial heads which radiate to somewhat columnar, mycelium are septate 3 westerdijkiae Un sexual state, filamentous fungi, smooth and hyaline. 4 Eurotium sp. Sexual state, cleistothecia bright yellow fruit body, ascomata globos to subglobs, asci globs to subglobs, ascospore one celled, conidiophores smooth, conidia rough. Table (3): degradation enzymatic for MPs disk of fungal isolates ( Aspergillus carbonarius, Emericella, Aspergillus westerdijkiae, Eurotium ) Pectinase Protease Lipase CMCase Laccase Amylase Cellulase Fungi isolate + + + - + + - A. carbonarius - - - + - + - Emericella - - + + - - - A. westerdijkiae - - + + + + + Eurotium Table(4): Comparative Assessment of Microplastic Degradation by Aspergillus carbonarius via Weight Loss Analysis Aspergillus carbonarius is considered to be the major producer of ochratoxin A. Aspergillus niger occurs in a range of foods MPs Temp. Weight of MPs disk before treatment (Control) Lose weight after 30 day Lose weight after 40 day Lose weight after 50 day pH PS 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0009 0.0014 0.0025 pH=5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0012 0.0018 0.0034 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0010 0.0014 0.0022 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0018 0.0024 0.0036 pH=5.5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0023 0.0032 0.0041 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0021 0.0033 0.0038 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0011 0.0014 0.0019 pH=6 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0013 0.0017 0.0022 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0012 0.0015 0.0019 HDPE 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0156 0.0163 0.0177 pH=5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0166 0.0172 0.0189 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0157 0.0166 0.0169 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0182 0.0189 0.0209 pH=5.5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0198 0.0232 0.0236 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0179 0.0199 0.0201 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0177 0.0183 0.0198 pH=6 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0181 0.0193 0.0232 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0168 0.0176 0.0188 Table 5 Comparative Assessment of Microplastic Degradation by Eurotium Fungi via Weight Loss Analysis Eurotium fungi is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Trichocomaceae MPs Temp. Weight of MPs disk before treatment (Control) Lose weight after 30 day Lose weight after 40 day Lose weight after 50 day PS 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0014 0.0023 0.0031 pH=5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0012 0.0015 0.0021 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0011 0.0013 0.0017 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0013 0.0021 0.0027 pH=5.5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0011 0.0014 0.0020 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0009 0.0012 0.0016 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0013 0.0019 0.0023 pH=6 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0010 0.0014 0.0019 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0008 0.0010 0.0014 HDPE 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0144 0.0185 0.0251 pH=5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0138 0.0177 0.0231 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0131 0.0168 0.0216 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0139 0.0175 0.0232 pH=5.5 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0127 0.0163 0.0220 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0110 0.0146 0.0203 28°C 0.5 gm 0.0128 0.0134 0.0178 pH=6 30°C 0.5 gm 0.0111 0.0123 0.0165 32°C 0.5 gm 0.0103 0.0117 0.0154 3.7 Analyzing LDPE and PS discs Using Scanning Electron Microscopy Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the physical surface topography of the two plastic types (HDPE and PS) at each sampling unit. The plastic samples were subjected to different magnifications (Figs. 11 and 12) to observe the surface morphology and biodegradation. Examination of the control HDPE and PS films revealed smooth and featureless surfaces (Figs. 11 and 12). High-resolution imaging provided evidence of the physical association of mycelia (hyphae) with the surface of plastic, as demonstrated by others (Cowan et al . 2022). The removal of fungal biomass by HDPE films treated with A. Carbonarius and Eurotium sp . resulted in appreciable surface erosion, folding and pitting in the form of cracks, holes, scions and cavities (Fig. 11b). This observation is consistent with previous studies and fungal colonization (Sen and Raut 2015). After assessment of polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene deterioration, weight loss increased. Figure (11) : Figure (12) : 3.8 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Analysis The changes in spectral peaks due to biodegradation were determined using an FTIR spectrophotometer (SHIMADZU – Japan). The degradation of polystyrene and the high density of polyethylene were confirmed by the changes in the functional groups in the FTIR spectra. Untreated discs served as controls, and discs of HDPE and PS were treated with isolated Asp. Fumigatus and Euorotium spp. Interpreting the FTIR spectrum of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) involves analyzing the characteristic peaks and their corresponding functional groups or molecular vibrations. The following is a general interpretation of the FTIR spectrum of HDPE (Fig. 13a): 1. CH Stretching Bands (~ 2800–3000 cm): (2970–2990 cm − 1 ): This region corresponds to the stretching vibrations of C-H bonds in the methylene (CH2) groups in the polymer backbone. The presence of strong and sharp peaks in this region is characteristic of HDPE. 2. CH2 Rocking and Scissoring Bands (~ 1400–1470 cm): (1463 cm − 1 ): This peak is associated with the rocking motion of CH2 groups in the polymer chain. It is typically a medium-intensity peak. 3. CH2 Deformation Bands (~ 720–730 cm): (720 cm − 1 ): This region corresponds to the deformation vibrations of CH2 groups. This is another characteristic feature of HDPE. 4. Absence of Carbonyl (C = O) Peaks: HDPE is a nonpolar polymer, and therefore, no peaks should be observed in the carbonyl (C = O) stretching region, which is typically between 1700 and 1750 cm − 1 . This absence distinguishes HDPE from other polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene. 5. Absence of Aromatic Bands: HDPE is also devoid of any peaks in the aromatic region (approximately 1600 − 1500 cm − 1 ), as it does not contain aromatic rings in its structure. 6. Absence of Hydroxyl (OH) Peaks: You should not see any hydroxyl group (OH) peaks in the FTIR spectrum of HDPE, as it does not contain any hydroxyl groups in its structure. 7. Minor impurity peaks: In some cases, minor impurity peaks may be present in the spectrum, depending on the purity of the sample or any additives used in the HDPE formulation. These should be identified and attributed to their respective functional groups. It is important to note that the specific wavenumbers and intensities of the peaks may vary slightly depending on the manufacturing process, molecular weight, and any additives in the HDPE sample. Therefore, it is essential to compare the FTIR spectrum of an HDPE sample to a reference spectrum or known standards to confirm its identity and assess any potential impurities or variations (Nishikida and Coates 2003). HDPE after 30 days: After 30 days of exposure to HDPE, we noticed that there was no noticeable change in the chemical structure of the polymer (Fig. 13b), and the evidence is the presence and persistence of all the vibrational bands with the same strength and intensity that were originally present in the pure polymer. After 40 days of fungal exposure to the HDPE disc (Fig. 13c), we observed many differences in the FTIR spectrum, indicating the breaking of bonds in the old compound and the formation of new bonds, thus changing the chemical composition of the compound, as we noticed a change in the intensity of the stretching vibration present in the parent compound (decrease in concentration). We noticed the disappearance of the band in the area between 1400 and 1470 cm-1, which indicates the breakage of the CH 2 group in the polymer chain. We noticed a significant change and decrease in the intensity of the beam located in the confined area (720–730 cm − 1 ), which is further evidence that the fungus consumes this substance. The appearance of new bands of strong, moderate, and weak intensity at 824, 1269, 2551, and 3454 cm − 1 indicates the formation of new effective aggregates and a change in the chemical composition of the original polymer (Rohrbach et al., 2023). This interpretation also applies to the HDPE disc after it was exposed for 50 days (Fig. 13d). Figure (13) : Interpreting the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene involves analyzing the characteristic peaks and their corresponding functional groups or molecular vibrations. Here, a general interpretation of the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene is given (Fig. 14a). 1. Aromatic C-H Stretching Bands (~ 3080 − 3050 cm): 1. Aromatic C-H Stretching Bands (~ 3080 − 3050 cm − 1 ): 3050–3080 cm − 1 : These peaks correspond to the stretching vibrations of aromatic C-H bonds in the phenyl rings of the polystyrene structure. They typically appear as a cluster of sharp peaks. 2. C = C Aromatic Ring Stretching Bands (~ 1590–1620 cm): 2. C = C Aromatic Ring Stretching Bands (~ 1590–1620 cm − 1 ): 1590–1620 cm − 1 : This region is associated with the stretching vibrations of the carbon‒carbon double bonds (C = C) in the aromatic rings of the polystyrene structure. 3. Phenyl ring out-of-plane bending (~ 690–760 cm): 3. Phenyl ring out-of-plane bending (~ 690–760 cm − 1 ): 690–760 cm − 1 : These bands correspond to the out-of-plane bending vibrations of the phenyl rings in polystyrene. They are usually medium to strong in intensity. 4. Phenyl Ring In-Plane Bending (~ 1450–1500 cm): 4. Phenyl Ring In-Plane Bending (~ 1450–1500 cm − 1 ): 1450–1500 cm − 1 : These bands correspond to the in-plane bending vibrations of the phenyl rings in polystyrene. They are typically medium to strong in intensity. 5. Absence of Carbonyl (C = O) Peaks: Polystyrene is a nonpolar polymer and does not contain carbonyl (C = O) groups, so you should not observe any peaks in the carbonyl stretching region, which is typically between 1700–1750 cm − 1 . 6. Absence of Hydroxyl (OH) Peaks: Similarly, you should not see any hydroxyl group (OH) peaks in the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene, as it does not contain hydroxyl groups in its structure. 7. Minor Impurity Peaks: Depending on the purity of the sample or any additives used in the polystyrene formulation, minor impurity peaks may be present in the spectrum. These should be identified and attributed to their respective functional groups. It is important to note that the specific wavenumbers and intensities of the peaks may vary slightly depending on the manufacturing process, molecular weight, and any additives in the polystyrene sample. Therefore, it is essential to compare the FTIR spectrum of a polystyrene sample to a reference spectrum or known standards to confirm its identity and assess any potential impurities or variations (Nishikida and Coates 2003). PS after 30 and 40 Days After 30 days, after PS was exposed to the fungus and preserved in a culture medium, we noticed a great similarity between the two spectra, as it was observed that there was no change in the main bands present in PS in the regions between (690–760), (1450–1500), (1590–1620) and (3050–3080) cm − 1 where it was recorded in a disc PS that was exposed to the fungus after 30 and 40 days, which indicates that there was no change in the chemical composition of the substance; therefore, no breaking of bonds or formation of new bonds occurred (Fig. 14b, c). PS after 50 Days After 50 days after the fungus was exposed to PS (Fig. 14d), we noticed that the main bands present in the standard PS compound remained but at a lower intensity (lower concentration), with the appearance of some new bands in the (480 and 3444 cm − 1 ) region. This indicates that the fungus began to break the bonds in the styrene polymer and began to form new bonds (Rohrbach et al . 2023). Figure (14) Conclusion The fungal species that exhibited the greatest capacity for decomposing microplastics, as discovered in the study sites along the Tigris River, were Aspergillus carbonarius and Eurotium sp. These species were found to have a greater ability to degrade HDPE than PS. Declarations Conflict of Interests On behalf of all authors, I declare there is no conflict of interest. References Huang D, Xu Y, Lei F, Yu X, Ouyang Z, Chen Y, Jia H, Guo X (2021) Degradation of polyethylene plastic in soil and effects on microbial community composition. J. Hazard. Mater.15;416:126173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126173. Li J, Zhang K, Zhang H (2018) Adsorption of antibiotics on microplastics. Environ Pollut1;237:460-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.050. Rahman FM, Buraihi FK (2023) Industries Based on the Petrochemical Industry in Iraq-Plastics Industry as a Model. JEAS 15;29(137):95-111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33095/jeas.v29i137.2756. Zhang Y, Pedersen JN, Eser BE, Guo Z (2022) Biodegradation of polyethylene and polystyrene: From microbial deterioration to enzyme discovery. Biotechnol. Adv. 1;60:107991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107991. Gross M (2017) Our planet wrapped in plastic. Curr. Biol. 21;27(16):R785-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.007 Schwabl P, Köppel S, Königshofer P, Bucsics T, Trauner M, Reiberger T, Liebmann B (2019) Detection of various microplastics in human stool: a prospective case series. Ann. Intern. Med. 1;171(7):453-7. https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-0618 Horton AA, Walton A, Spurgeon DJ, Lahive E, Svendsen C (2017)Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: Evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities. Sci. Total Environ. 15;586:127-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.190 Cau A, Alvito A, Moccia D, Canese S, Pusceddu A, Rita C, Angiolillo M, Follesa MC (2017) Submarine canyons along the upper Sardinian slope (Central Western Mediterranean) as repositories for derelict fishing gears. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 15;123(1-2):357-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.010 Quero GM, Luna GM (2017) Surfing and dining on the “plastisphere”: Microbial life on plastic marine debris. AIOL Journal 19;8(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2017.7211 O'Connor IA, Golsteijn L, Hendriks AJ (2016) Review of the partitioning of chemicals into different plastics: consequences for the risk assessment of marine plastic debris. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 15;113(1-2):17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.07.021 e Silva PP, Nobre CR, Resaffe P, Pereira CD, Gusmão F (2016) Leachate from microplastics impairs larval development in brown mussels. Water Res. 1;106:364-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.10.016 Hermabessiere L, Dehaut A, Paul-Pont I, Lacroix C, Jezequel R, Soudant P, Duflos G (2017) Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: a review. Chemosphere 1;182:781-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.096. Hahladakis JN, Velis CA, Weber R, Iacovidou E, Purnell P (2018) An overview of chemical additives present in plastics: Migration, release, fate and environmental impact during their use, disposal and recycling. J. Hazard. Mater. 15;344:179-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.10.014. Bowley J, Baker-Austin C, Porter A, Hartnell R, Lewis C (2021) Oceanic hitchhikers–assessing pathogen risks from marine microplastic. Trends Microbiol. 1;29(2):107-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.011 Li HX, Orihuela B, Zhu M, Rittschof D (2016) Recyclable plastics as substrata for settlement and growth of bryozoans Bugula neritina and barnacles Amphibalanus amphitrite. Environ Pollut 1;218:973-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.047 Cai L, Wu D, Xia J, Shi H, Kim H (2019) Influence of physicochemical surface properties on the adhesion of bacteria onto four types of plastics. Sci. Total Environ. 25;671:1101-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.434 Shukur SA, Hassan FM, Fakhry SS, Ameen F, Stephenson SL (2023) Evaluation of microplastic pollution in a lotic ecosystem and its ecological risk. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 1;194:115401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115401 Silva AB, Costa MF, Duarte AC (2018) Biotechnology advances for dealing with environmental pollution by micro (nano) plastics: Lessons on theory and practices. Curr. Opin. Environ. Sci. Health 1;1:30-5. Tang X, Chen EY (2019) Toward infinitely recyclable plastics derived from renewable cyclic esters. Chem. 14;5(2):284-312. Lucas N, Bienaime C, Belloy C, Queneudec M, Silvestre F, Nava-Saucedo JE (2008) Polymer biodegradation: Mechanisms and estimation techniques–A review. Chemosphere 1;73(4):429-42. Shah AA, Hasan F, Hameed A, Ahmed S (2008) Biological degradation of plastics: a comprehensive review. Biotechnol. Adv. 1;26(3):246-65. Pete AJ (2022) Bioremediation of Petroleum-Based Contaminants by Alkane-Degrading Bacterium Alcanivorax Borkumensis (Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College). Preethi PS, Hariharan NM, Vickram S, Rameshpathy M, Manikandan S, Subbaiya R, Karmegam N, Yadav V, Ravindran B, Chang SW, Awasthi MK (2022) Advances in bioremediation of emerging contaminants from industrial wastewater by oxidoreductase enzymes. Bioresour. Technol. 1;359:127444. Grossart HP, Hassan EA, Masigol H, Arias-Andres M, Rojas-Jimenez K (2021) Inland water fungi in the anthropocene: Current and future perspectives. The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Second Edition, Ed Kendra Cheruvelil. Gallo F, Fossi C, Weber R, Santillo D, Sousa J, Ingram I, Nadal A, Romano D (2020) Marine litter plastics and microplastics and their toxic chemicals components: the need for urgent preventive measures. InAnalysis of Nanoplastics and Microplastics in Food . Dec 2 (pp. 159-179). CRC Press. Dey TK, Uddin ME, Jamal M (2021) Detection and removal of microplastics in wastewater: evolution and impact. ESPR.;28:16925-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12943-5 Solanki S, Sinha S, Singh R (2022) Myco-degradation of microplastics: an account of identified pathways and analytical methods for their determination. Biodegradation ;33(6):529-56. doi: 10.1007/s10532-022-10001-6. Epub 2022 Oct 13. PMID: 36227389. Kumar S, Das MP, Rebecca LJ, Sharmila S (2013) Isolation and identification of LDPE degrading fungi from municipal solid waste. JOCPR.;5(3):78-81. Sen SK, Raut S (2015) Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE): A review. . JOCPR 1;3(1):462-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.01.003. Hadar Y, Sivan A (2004) Colonization, biofilm formation and biodegradation of polyethylene by a strain of Rhodococcus ruber. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol ;65:97-104. Tribedi P, Sil AK (2013) Low-density polyethylene degradation by Pseudomonas sp. AKS2 biofilm. ESPR.;20:4146-53. Wei R, Zimmermann W (2017) Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum‐based plastics: how far are we?. Microb. Biotechnol;10(6):1308-22. Albertsson AC, Andersson SO, Karlsson S (1987) The mechanism of biodegradation of polyethylene. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 1;18(1):73-87. Al-Ansari N, AlJawad S, Adamo N, Sissakian VK, Laue J, Knutsson S (2018) Water quality within the Tigris and Euphrates catchments. Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering.;8(3):95-121. Chabuk A, Al-Madhlom Q, Al-Maliki A, Al-Ansari N, Hussain HM, Laue J (2020) Water quality assessment along Tigris River (Iraq) using water quality index (WQI) and GIS software. Arab. J. Geosci;13:1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05575-5. Aljanabi ZZ, Hassan FM, Al-Obaidy AH (2022) Heavy metals pollution profiles in Tigris River within Baghdad city. InIOP Conference Series: EES 1 (Vol. 1088, No. 1, p. 012008). IOP Publishing. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364339535. Al-Qaissi AR, Hamoudi AH, Hassoun KW (2022) Morphological and Molecular Identification of Aquatic Fungi in Tigris River for some Areas in Salah Al-Din province and Evaluating their Enzymatic Activity. Drug Deliv. Technol.;12(2):463-71. Ellis MB (1971) Dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Jayawardena RS, Hyde KD, Wang S, Sun YR, Suwannarach N, Sysouphanthong P, Abdel-Wahab MA, Abdel-Aziz FA, Abeywickrama PD, Abreu VP, Armand A (2022) Fungal diversity notes 1512–1610: Taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa. Fungal Divers; 117(1):1-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-022-00513-0 Dugan FM (2006) The identification of fungi: an illustrated introduction with keys, glossary, and guide to literature. Apr 12. Salawudeen MT, Kazeem HM, Raji MA, Oniye SJ, Kwanashie CN, Ibrahim MJ (2017) Isolation and identification of fungi from apparently healthy and diseased Clarias gariepinus from freshwater in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Microbiol. Res. J. Int.; 5(1):8-15. Sarma VV, Hyde KD (2001) A review on frequently occurring fungi in mangroves. Fungal Divers; 1;8:1-34. Kovács E, Szűcs C, Farkas A, Szuhaj M, Maróti G, Bagi Z, Rákhely G, Kovács KL (2022) Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biogas substrates by filamentous fungi. J. Biotech. 10;360:160-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.10.013 Zohri AE, Ali MM (2022) Evaluation of cellulases production by Aspergillus niger using response surface methodology. ESJ; 20;19:18-28. https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/esugj.2022.155979.1017 Su Y, Qi H, Hou Y, Gao M, Li J, Cai M, Zhu X, Chen M, Ge C, Fu D, Wang Z (2022) Combined Effects of Microplastics and Benzo [a] pyrene on the Marine Diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. Front. mar. sci;3;8:779321. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.779321 Ameen F, Moslem M, Hadi S, Al-Sabri AE (2015) Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) by Mangrove fungi from the red sea coast. Prog. Rubber Plast. Recycl.Technol.;31(2):125-43. Ojha N, Pradhan N, Singh S, Barla A, Shrivastava A, Khatua P, Rai V, Bose S (2017) Evaluation of HDPE and LDPE degradation by fungus, implemented by statistical optimization. Sci. Rep. 4;7(1):39515. Pant R, Rohilla B, Chaudhary S, Bhatt R, Patrick N, Gupta A (2023) Isolation and Screening of Aqua-borne fungi from Song River. RJPT;16(6):2949-54. Bule Možar K, Miloloža M, Martinjak V, Cvetnić M, Ocelić Bulatović V, Mandić V, Bafti A, Ukić Š, Kučić Grgić D, Bolanča T (2023) Bacteria and Yeasts Isolated from the Environment in Biodegradation of PS and PVC Microplastics: Screening and Treatment Optimization. Environ.; 29;10(12):207. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10120207 Dey TK, Uddin ME, Jamal M (2021) Detection and removal of microplastics in wastewater: evolution and impact. ESPR.;28:16925-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12943-5 Gkoutselis G, Rohrbach S, Harjes J, Obst M, Brachmann A, Horn MA, Rambold G (2021) Microplastics accumulate fungal pathogens in terrestrial ecosystems. Sci. Rep. 15;11(1):13214. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92405-7 Olesen KB, van Alst N, Simon M, Vianello A, Liu F, Vollertsen J (2017) Analysis of microplastics using FTIR imaging: application note. Agilent Application Note Environment. Gomashe AV, Gulhane PA, Bezalwar PM (2013) Isolation and screening of cellulose degrading microbes from nagpur region soil. Int. J. of Life Sciences; 1(4):291-3. Díaz GV, Coniglio RO, Chungara CI, Zapata PD, Villalba LL, Fonseca MI (2021) Aspergillus niger LBM 134 isolated from rotten wood and its potential cellulolytic ability. Mycol. J. 3;12(3):160-73. https://doi.org/10.1080%2F21501203.2020.1823509. El Bergadi F, Laachari F, Elabed S, Mohammed IH, Ibnsouda SK (2014) Cellulolytic potential and filter paper activity of fungi isolated from ancients manuscripts from the Medina of Fez. Ann. Microbiol. Jun;64:815-22. DOI 10.1007/s13213-013-0718-6 Pramila R, Ramesh KV (2011) Biodegradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) by fungi isolated from marine water a SEM analysis. Afr J Microbiol Res.30;5(28):5013-8. DOI: 10.5897/AJMR11.670 Kumar S, Das MP, Rebecca LJ, Sharmila S (2013) Isolation and identification of LDPE degrading fungi from municipal solid waste. JOCPR.;5(3):78-81. Temporiti ME, Nicola L, Nielsen E, Tosi S (2022) Fungal enzymes involved in plastics biodegradation. Microorganisms. Jun 8;10(6):1180. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fmicroorganisms10061180 Varshney S, Gupta V, Yadav AN, Rahi RK, Neelam DK (2023) An overview on role of fungi in systematic plastic degradation. J. appl. biol. 4;11(3):61-9. DOI: 10.7324/JABB.2023.108929 Seneviratne G, Tennakoon NS, Weerasekara ML, Nandasena KA (2006) Polyethylene biodegradation by a developed Penicillium–Bacillus biofilm. Curr. Sci. 10;90(1):20-1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283803718 Kim DY,Rhee YH, (2003) Biodegradation of microbial and synthetic polyesters by fungi. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol; 61, pp.300-308. doi: 10.1007/s00253-002-1205-3. Coreño J, Méndez M, (2010) Relación estructura-propiedades de polímeros. Educación química, 21(4), pp.291-299. McKeen LW, (2014) Plastics used in medical devices. In Handbook of polymer applications in medicine and medical devices (pp. 21-53). William Andrew Publishing. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-323-22805-3.00003-7 Mohan AJ, Sekhar VC, Bhaskar T, Nampoothiri KM, (2016) Microbial assisted high impact polystyrene (HIPS) degradation. Bioresour. Technol, 213, pp.204-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.021. Miloloža M, Ukić Š, Cvetnić M, Bolanča T, Kučić Grgić D, (2022) Optimization of Polystyrene Biodegradation by Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas alcaligenes Using Full Factorial Design. Polymers, 14(20), p.4299. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204299 Syranidou E, Karkanorachaki K, Amorotti F, Avgeropoulos A, Kolvenbach B, Zhou NY, Fava F, Corvini PF, Kalogerakis N (2019) Biodegradation of mixture of plastic films by tailored marine consortia. J. Hazard. Mater. 5;375:33-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.04.078. Cowan AR, Costanzo CM, Benham R, Loveridge EJ, Moody SC, (2022) Fungal bioremediation of polyethylene: Challenges and perspectives. J. Appl. Microbiol., 132(1), pp.78-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15203. Yang Y, Yang J, Wu WM, Zhao J, Song Y, Gao L, Yang R, Jiang L, (2015) Biodegradation and mineralization of polystyrene by plastic-eating mealworms: part 2. Role of gut microorganisms. Environ. Sci. Technol.49(20), pp.12087-12093. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b02663. Park SY, Kim CG, (2019) Biodegradation of micropolyethylene particles by bacterial colonization of a mixed microbial consortium isolated from a landfill site. Chemosphere, 222, pp.527-533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.159 Haider TP, Völker C, Kramm J, Landfester K, Wurm FR, (2019) Plastics of the future? The impact of biodegradable polymers on the environment and on society. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58(1), pp.50-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201805766. Ibietela D, Olufunmilayo W, Ijeoma E, (2020) Effect of waste separation on the composting of organic waste fraction from domestic solid waste. Microbiol. Res. J. Int., 30(10), pp.1-17. https://doi.org/10.9734/mrji/2020/v30i1030271 Esmaeili A, Pourbabaee AA, Alikhani HA, Shabani F, Esmaeili E, (2013) Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by mixed culture of Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus and Aspergillus niger in soil. Plos one, 8(9), p.e71720. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071720 Sen SK, Raut S, ( 2015) Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE): A review. J. Environ. Chem. Eng, 3(1), pp.462-473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.01.003. Tavares APM, Coelho MAZ, Agapito MSM, Coutinho JAP, Xavier AMRB, (2006) Optimization and modeling of laccase production by Trametes versicolor in a bioreactor using statistical experimental design. Appl Biochem Biotechnol;134, pp.233-248. Gonzales V, (2019) Biodegradative capacity of filamentous fungi against polyethylene (undergraduate thesis). Graduate School, National University of the Altiplano, Puno, Peru Cowan AR, Costanzo CM, Benham R, Loveridge EJ, Moody SC, (2022) Fungal bioremediation of polyethylene: Challenges and perspectives. J. Appl. Microbiol.132(1), pp.78-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15203. Nishikida K, Coates J (2003) Infrared and Raman analysis of polymers. InHandbook of plastics analysis Jun 25 (pp. 198-328). CRC Press. Rohrbach S, Gkoutselis G, Mauel A, Telli N, Senker J, Ho A, Rambold G, Horn MA, (2023) Setting new standards: Multiphasic analysis of microplastic mineralization by fungi. Chemosphere, p.141025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.141025 Supplementary Files Highlight.docx FungiSupplmentry.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-4483006\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":321142839,\"identity\":\"8eb12edd-18af-45d5-971c-f2e12a4f8142\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"SHAYMAA ARIF\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,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\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8010-5392\",\"institution\":\"University of Baghdad\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"SHAYMAA\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"ARIF\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":321142840,\"identity\":\"d5dd06a0-1522-4187-8454-70057bc8a430\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Fikrat M. Hassan\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2624-505X\",\"institution\":\"University of Baghdad\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Fikrat\",\"middleName\":\"M.\",\"lastName\":\"Hassan\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":321142841,\"identity\":\"97394689-c350-46de-abe6-f9b6c2a264d5\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Saad Sabah Fakhry\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Iraq Ministry of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Saad\",\"middleName\":\"Sabah\",\"lastName\":\"Fakhry\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":321142842,\"identity\":\"0454f5c2-cc2f-44a0-a82b-7e42293e090b\",\"order_by\":3,\"name\":\"Safaa Al-Deen Ahmed Shanter Al-Qaysi\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"University of Baghdad\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Safaa\",\"middleName\":\"Al-Deen Ahmed Shanter\",\"lastName\":\"Al-Qaysi\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":321142843,\"identity\":\"e6db7ce1-c89f-4fbb-a532-ad3c08bfeffc\",\"order_by\":4,\"name\":\"Safauldeen Adnan\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Iraq Ministry of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Safauldeen\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Adnan\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2024-05-27 07:20:51\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":60933879,\"identity\":\"8bc7016a-1d68-4da6-b209-1a43baca8a8a\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"Figure 1\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":1432875,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eMap of the study sites across Tigris River, Baghdad City (Google Earth,2023).\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage1.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/403e9d1beb9eb0599b0479b3.png\"},{\"id\":60934251,\"identity\":\"a1ea9982-9848-44d7-8682-2d23f0d89d65\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":2,\"title\":\"Figure 2\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":3855089,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eexplains how microplastic granules (A, D) are turned into powder (B, E), which is then compressed into discs (C, F).\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage2.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/62785d08cd06b4138978cc34.png\"},{\"id\":60934589,\"identity\":\"31d1a6ef-03b1-4f06-8bef-f61c23fe9bc2\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:19:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":3,\"title\":\"Figure 3\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":1013964,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eIsolated fungal colonies from water samples\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage3.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/b5c453ad53445dcec11035af.png\"},{\"id\":60933888,\"identity\":\"98578034-2fc1-4b0b-b55e-b7539e28fc02\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":4,\"title\":\"Figure 4\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":1073315,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ePure colonies genera of fungi isolated\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage4.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/bfc8fe5d1cc819b5164a3688.png\"},{\"id\":60933884,\"identity\":\"bcf8202d-a37d-46b8-bb61-e2da780cb0d4\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":5,\"title\":\"Figure 5\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":804949,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003efungal isolates (A, B) under compound light microscope (400X) .\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage5.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/e1da8c4c119d77c2bf0ec687.png\"},{\"id\":60933893,\"identity\":\"3a737b6a-a59e-4702-a050-492bb7569794\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":6,\"title\":\"Figure 6\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":913804,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCMC agar plate after staining A. Negative result, B and C Positive result notice halo around the colonies.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage6.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/b3d6093b18b7871948de77e2.png\"},{\"id\":60934252,\"identity\":\"41c10297-604a-4ba2-8186-4b870395f3b4\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":7,\"title\":\"Figure 7\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":1186210,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eA, B, C fungi growth on cellulose A fungi cannot growth on cellulose, B and C different growth on cellulose. D, E, F fungi growth on Czapek dox agar.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage7.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/ce50cbc2efe162a5f7145c69.png\"},{\"id\":60933880,\"identity\":\"948a93cd-b1fc-45f8-a8af-1b89552772eb\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":8,\"title\":\"Figure 8\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":976496,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eBiodegradation of \\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius \\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eon (A. HDPE , B. PS and C. Fungi standard without MPs)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage8.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/3f42342d54bed9b5d40dd0fb.png\"},{\"id\":60933886,\"identity\":\"f7e7bca4-81ed-44c7-abe6-de697c8ff593\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":9,\"title\":\"Figure 9\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":2395610,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ecellulase 2: Amylase 3 : laccase 4: CMCase 5:lypase 6: protease 7 :pectinase Produced by the selected fungi under study.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage9.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/5a753aa2d0ceadb3f6d9c9e2.png\"},{\"id\":60933892,\"identity\":\"58b33745-cbcc-4663-85f0-013ed9079145\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":10,\"title\":\"Figure 10\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":1674496,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eGrowth of \\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e sp\\u003c/strong\\u003e.\\u003cstrong\\u003e on media containing HDPE and PS ( A1 left control and the right growth on media containing PS; A2 left control and the right growth on media containing HDPE; B1 and B2 attached hyphae or mycea to microplastic discs.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage10.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/4b60b19783684f5a5bace374.png\"},{\"id\":60934254,\"identity\":\"0e798642-8050-4759-8730-79cb26f88ea3\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":11,\"title\":\"Figure 11\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":2173031,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSEM Visualization of A.carbonarius on HDPE Disc with Highlighted Specific Structures (White Arrows). (a) HDPE disc before exposure to fungi. (b)HDPE disc after exposure to fungi, including Fungal Growth Along a Plastic Surface Crack (1), A layer of fungi on the surface of a MP disc (2), HDPE surface changes caused by fungi (3). (c) Adhesion of Conidia to Plastic Surface via Self-Produced Mucilage. (d) Fungal Conidia Mat. (e) Mycelia Meshwork Structure including tiny peripheral bulges(4). (f) Adherence of Intertwined Hyphal Filaments to Plastic Surface.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage11.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/4eb0112dd4c253956aeda731.png\"},{\"id\":60934257,\"identity\":\"5a7c99ba-d5fa-441d-8206-01ba9be9c45d\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":12,\"title\":\"Figure 12\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":2326908,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eSEM Visualization of A.carbonarius on PS Disc with Highlighted Specific Structures (White Arrows). (a) PS disc before exposure to fungi. (b) PS disc after exposure to fungi. (c) Adhesion of Conidia to Plastic Surface via Self-Produced Mucilage. (d) Fungal Conidia Mat. (e) Mycelia Meshwork Structure including tiny peripheral bulges. (f) Adherence of Intertwined Hyphal Filaments to Plastic Surface..\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage12.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/da13b195fe58938cdb72a4c5.png\"},{\"id\":60934262,\"identity\":\"c5421292-98b4-484c-a26d-27d2fb0fd36c\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":13,\"title\":\"Figure 13\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":599647,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFTIR spectrum for HDPE, (A)control, (B) after 30 day, (C) after 40 day, (D) after 50 day.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage13.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/c6c15e15f38dbca13ffcffe2.png\"},{\"id\":60933890,\"identity\":\"c9564494-7bb7-4788-ba0f-513983251ab6\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":14,\"title\":\"Figure 14\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":572694,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFTIR spectrum for PS, (A)control, (B) after 30 day, (C) after 40 day, (D) after 50 day.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"floatimage15.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/323515bd5c63ee7e574121d0.png\"},{\"id\":60940491,\"identity\":\"c35216b0-6df9-46a9-81e3-dccc1c9c9443\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 20:49:44\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":0,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":34329568,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/b498f8e3-88af-4b4b-995b-662fb30fd4a1.pdf\"},{\"id\":60934249,\"identity\":\"8c136a4c-1adf-4251-8385-ecae79221c87\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:11:50\",\"extension\":\"docx\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"supplement\",\"size\":16939,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"Highlight.docx\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/c002f300435c2aaf9ade74f5.docx\"},{\"id\":60933881,\"identity\":\"45385038-c9d1-41b0-b742-f1fca81d9bdc\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:50\",\"extension\":\"docx\",\"order_by\":2,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"supplement\",\"size\":15049,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"FungiSupplmentry.docx\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4483006/v1/26449914f9e36b2eeac46680.docx\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Unveiling Fungal Proficiency in Microplastic Degradation: A Comprehensive Research Investigation\",\"fulltext\":[{\"header\":\"1. Introduction\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003ePlastics are now a need in everyday living, and they are produced on a massive global scale. Its product line includes industrial goods, tote bags, building supplies and materials for packaging and wrapping. An estimated 6.3\\u0026nbsp;billion tonnes of plastic waste have been produced globally in the past several years (Huang \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2021; Li \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2018). Depending on the availability of various petrochemical products and feed stocks, the petrochemical industry in Iraq actively contributes to the establishment of plastic industrial clusters and clusters of micro, small- and medium-sized industries by providing the necessary feedstock for these industries in a variety of fields and industrial sectors, such as the building and plastic packaging industries. Additionally, the industries that feed the automobile, textile, machinery and equipment manufacturing industry (Rahman and Buraihi 2023). Typically, polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) make up approximately 40% of the world's plastic manufacturing. Because they lack hydrolysable groups, polymers with a carbon‒carbon (C-C) backbone in particular are less prone to breakdown (Zhang \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). Secondary environmental degradation arises from the treatment of plastic trash in landfills (Gross 2017; Schwabl \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2019). The majority of plastic waste (70\\u0026ndash;80%) is carried to the ocean by rivers (Horton \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017) and then scattered throughout the seafloor, shoreline, and isolated places that are far from populated areas (Cau \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017; Quero and Luna 2017). The most significant chemical characteristics of microplastics are their surface groups and chemical makeup. Microplastic surfaces are composed of polymers, colors, additives (plasticizers, antioxidants), and pollutants. These substances are easily released into the environment during the manufacture, usage, and weathering of plastics (O'Connor \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2016; Silva \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2016). The porosity, molecular size, and degree of degradation of polymers are physical characteristics that affect how quickly a chemical component leaches (Hermabessiere \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2017). Surface aging might promote additive leakage. The chemical content and distribution coefficient of the source material dictate the effect, which is readily apparent (Hahladakis \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2018). Because of the mixing of organic chemicals with other materials, MPs provide a special substrate for microbial adhesion. MPs can overcome environmental constraints on microorganisms due to their coarse texture and high organic content (Bowley \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2021). Because of these characteristics, MPs are perfect substrates for environmental microbes (Li \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2016; Cai \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2019).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHence, it is imperative to explore the development of new biodegradable plastics or innovative biodegradation techniques (Silva \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2018; Tang and Chen 2019).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eBiodegradation is the natural process through which organic polymer materials breakdown into smaller compounds, including CO2 and H2O (Lucas \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2008; Shah \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2008). In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the potential of fungi as natural bioremediators capable of degrading MPs. The biocatalytic strategy can be integrated as a complementary approach alongside existing treatment technologies to attain exceptional bioremediation results and efficiently eliminate emerging pollutants from wastewater (Pete 2022; Preethi \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). Fungi are ubiquitous organisms in freshwater ecosystems, and their enzymatic machinery has evolved to break down complex organic compounds, making them promising candidates for microplastic remediation. Aquatic mycology is closely linked, to a significant degree, with human-made alterations in freshwater environments, particularly concerning emerging pollutants such as MPs (Grossart \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2021).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis highlights the critical role that the mycobiota, the fungal community, plays in the biodegradation of MPs within freshwater environments. Understanding the mechanisms and efficacy of fungus-driven microplastic remediation has significant implications for developing eco-friendly and sustainable solutions to combat microplastic pollution (Gallo \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2020; Dey \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2023). Fungi utilize extracellular and intracellular enzymes to break down plastic polymers into monomers. Under aerobic conditions, this process generates carbon dioxide and water, while under anaerobic conditions, it produces methane. Additionally, fungi secrete hydrophobins, which are surface proteins that play a pivotal role in the bioremediation process by enhancing substrate mobility and increasing its bioavailability (Solanki \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). Microbial enzymes are essential contributors to the biodegradation of polyethylene (PE) through microorganisms, particularly fungi. These enzymes facilitate the oxidation or hydrolysis of PE by generating extracellular enzymes (Kumar \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2013; Kumar Sen and Raut 2015). Lucas \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e (2008) reported that microorganisms play key roles in depolymerization, assimilation, and mineralization processes. Nonetheless, the hydrophilic nature of PE surfaces presents a challenge for initial colonization by most microorganisms, as noted by Hadar and Sivan (2004). To address this issue, microbial enzymes can enhance the hydrophilicity of PE, facilitating the attachment of microorganisms to its surface, as demonstrated by Tribedi and Sil (2013). In recent years, various microbial enzymes with the ability to degrade polyethylene (PE) have been identified. Examples include laccases, manganese peroxidase, and lignin peroxidases, as reported by Wei and Zimmermann (2017). These enzymes play a role in the degradation process, including terminal oxidation, chain cleavage, and fatty acid metabolism, as outlined by Albertsson \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. (1987). However, the precise mechanisms of these PE-degrading enzymes remain unreported. This study aimed to provide insights that can inform conservation efforts and guide future research into harnessing the natural abilities of fungi for freshwater ecosystem restoration. After identifying microplastic contamination in the Tigris River in the city of Baghdad (Shukur \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2023), this study aimed to isolate the fungi present in the Tigris River and then evaluate the ability of the fungi to decompose microplastics.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"2. Materials and Methods\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec3\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.1. Study Area and Sample Collection\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe Tigris River passes through Baghdad, and its length spans approximately forty-nine kilometers (Al-Ansari \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2018; Chabuk \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2020). Within Baghdad city, five sites were selected along the river. These sites covered the river's course from the north until it reached the southern exit of Baghdad (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;\\u003cspan refid=\\\"Fig1\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e1\\u003c/span\\u003e). Site one (44\\u0026deg;34\\u0026prime;64.40\\u0026Prime;E, 33\\u0026deg;42\\u0026prime;86.90\\u0026Prime;N) is located in the upper reach region and includes an agricultural area. Site 2 (44\\u0026deg;33\\u0026prime;88.61\\u0026Prime;E, 33\\u0026deg;40\\u0026prime;76.32\\u0026Prime;N) is an agricultural and recreational area. Site 3 (44\\u0026deg;38\\u0026prime;33.95\\u0026Prime;E, 33\\u0026deg;34\\u0026prime;15.19\\u0026Prime;N) and site 4 (44\\u0026deg;37\\u0026prime;38.50\\u0026Prime;E, 33\\u0026deg;28\\u0026prime;35.97\\u0026Prime;N) represented the mid-reaches of the river, which are characterized as urban areas with many restaurants, fisheries, and residential buildings and are located near the main medical city hospital (site 3) and sanitation station (site 4). Moreover, site 5 (44\\u0026deg;50\\u0026prime;18.07\\u0026Prime;E, 33\\u0026deg;22\\u0026prime;500.6\\u0026Prime;N) is situated in the downreach-reach area with the assistance of the sponge factory, the PVC factory, and the Rustamiya station, which is the largest water treatment plant.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFigure \\u003cspan refid=\\\"Fig1\\\" class=\\\"InternalRef\\\"\\u003e1\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFrom December 2021 to November 2022, water samples were collected from the banks and the central region of the river. The collection took place during two distinct seasons, the wet and dry seasons, which are determined based on the percentage of humidity (RH%), as shown in Suppl. 1. An RH% above 50 indicates a rainy season, while a value below 50 indicates a dry season (Aljanabi \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). The sample collection time ranged from eight in the morning to five in the evening.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThree replicate samples were collected at each site in one-liter glass bottles. The bottles were rinsed with river water before filling. The samples were stored in a cooler to maintain their integrity. The samples were transferred to the laboratory at the Ministry of Science and Technology/Food Contamination Research Center, Iraq, within 24 hours.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec4\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.2 Culture media\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec5\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.2.1 Preparing Artificial Media\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCulture media were created in accordance with the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Following preparation, the culture medium was divided among 500 ml flasks, autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121\\u0026deg;C and 15 psi, and then transferred to sterile Petri plates (20 ml per plate).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec6\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.2.2 Laboratory-prepared Media\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eA- Czapex Dox Medium\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn accordance with Narasimha \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. (2006), Czapex Dox medium was prepared by adding 30 g of sucrose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium sulfate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate, and a pH of 7.3 to one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121\\u0026deg;C for 15 minutes under 15 psi of pressure.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eB- Czapex-Modified Carboxymythel Cellules Medium\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCzapex medium was prepared by adding the following ingredients to one liter of distilled water: 10 gm of CMC, 2 gm of sodium nitrate, 1 gm of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 gm of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 gm of potassium chloride, and 0.01 gm of ferrous sulfate, pH 7.3. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121\\u0026deg;C for 15 minutes at 15 psi of pressure (Yoon \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2007).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eC- Czapex-modified cell culture medium\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCzapex medium was created by mixing 6 g of cellulose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121\\u0026deg;C for 15 minutes at 15 psi of pressure (Yoon \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2007).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec7\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.2.3 Solution Preparation:\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eA- 1 N NaCl solution.\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAccording to Devi and Kumar (2012), 58.44 gm of sodium chloride was dissolved in one liter of distilled water.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eB- Congo Red Solution 0.1%.\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAccording to Devi and Kumar (2013), 1 gm of congo red powder was dissolved in 1 liter of distilled water.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eC-Lactophenol Cotton Blue Stain\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn accordance with Ellis (1994), 0.05 gm of cotton blue was dissolved in one liter of distilled water, and the mixture was then allowed to stand overnight to remove any remaining insoluble dye. Two grams of phenol crystals were added to 20 ml of lactic acid in a glass beaker, and the phenol was dissolved with the help of a magnetic stirrer. Then, 40 ml of glycerol was added, and cotton blue was filtered into the resulting solution (phenol, glycerol, and lactic acid). The mixture was then mixed and kept at room temperature for use in staining and microscopic fungal identification.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eD- Broth for Fungi Growth on MPs without Carbon\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAn isolated fungus-specific medium broth was prepared from the following components per liter of D.W. (0.001 g of zinc sulfate heptahydrate, 0.001 g of iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate, 0.001 g of copper sulphate, 0.001 g of yeast extract, 0.5 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of ammoniumacetal krist.resint, 0.1 g of magnesium sulphate, and 0.01 g of calcium chloride). The control flask for fungal growth was modified with 2% sucrose without MPs. The pH was adjusted to between 5 and 6, which promoted fungal growth (Parker \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2016).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec8\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.3. Preparing MP Disks\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo prepare the microplastic disk, we first determined the type of microplastic required for the experiment, which included HDPE and PS. Then, we ground the microplastic granules with an industrial grinder until they became powder. Then, we took a specific weight (0.5 g), compressed them into a disk with a diameter of 1 cm (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;2), sterilized them well and placed them in closed Petri dishes. To ensure that there was no contamination of the discs, the mixture was placed in a conical flask containing modified medium without any carbon source and then closed and sterilized in an autoclave (Cole 2016; Ameen \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2015).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eFigure (2)\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec9\\\" class=\\\"Section2\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4 Biological Samples\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo avoid contamination with nonaquatic fungi from air and soil fungi, samples for biological analysis and isolation of aquatic fungus were collected in glass bottles with a dark and sterile capacity of 1 L, which were opened under the water surface 10\\u0026ndash;30 cm deep. The bottles were kept closed while submerged, and the samples were taken directly to the laboratory, with the operation taking no more than 2\\u0026ndash;3 hours and taking place in refrigerated settings utilizing a refrigerated box on the hottest days of summer. Laboratory tests that are required (Al-Qaissi \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2022)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec10\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.1 Isolation and identification\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAfter collecting water samples from the study sites, 10 ml of collected water samples were inoculated on autoclaved potato dextrose agar (HI-MEDIA) media (all cultured media were sterilized using an autoclave at 121\\u0026deg;C and 1.5 psi for 15 minutes), and the antibiotic chloramphenicol (0.05 mg/l) was added to the culture media to prevent the growth of bacteria. After that, all Petri dishes were incubated for 7 to 10 days at 28\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;2\\u0026deg;C. The fungal colonies were differentiated and purified to obtain pure and single colonies from all fungi isolated during this study (Ellis 1971 and Jayawardena \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2022).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe isolated fungal colonies were identified according to the morphological and microscopic characteristics of the isolates, and identification was carried out according to previous methods (Dugan 2006; Salawudeen \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017). Morphological identification was achieved by studying the forward and reverse pigmentation of grown colonies on PDA media, growth rate, and general morphology. The microscopic observations of the shape and anatomy of the fungal hyphae, in addition to the morphology of the conidia, were used to identify positive fungal colonies under a microscope. After the fungi were identified, they were transferred to potato dextrose broth (PDB) supplemented with glycerol (20%) for long-term preservation until the study was completed.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe occurrence of the isolated fungi was calculated according to the methods of Sarma and Hyde (2001). The procedure was adopted to calculate the presence of each species according to the following equation:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e% occurrence \\u003cspan class=\\\"InlineEquation\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"mathinline\\\"\\u003e\\\\(=\\\\frac{No.of positive samples}{Total number of samples}\\\\)\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e \\u0026times; 100\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec11\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.2 Investigation of the Fungal Growth Ability on CMC and Cellulose\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAfter the fungal isolates were identified, a primary investigation was performed to determine the production of hemicellulytic enzymes by the isolated fungi and their ability to grow on culture media modified with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). This experiment was carried out by adding (1% w/v) each of these substrates to the culture medium CMC as the sole source of carbon according to Kov\\u0026aacute;cs \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e (2022). The fungal isolates were cultured at the center of the Petri dishes, and all plates were incubated at 28\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;2\\u0026deg;C for 7 days. Cultured medium was mixed with 10 ml of 0.1% aqueous Congo red solution for 15 minutes, followed by a 15-minute wash using 1 M NaCl. The positive results were calculated by measuring the halo zone formed around fungal colonies using a ruler (Zohri and Ali 2022). For the secondary investigation, the fungal isolates that showed positive results on CMC were cultured in a more complex medium (cellulose). In this study, we evaluated the growth of the isolate and compared its growth with that of the ideal culture medium Czapek Dox agar, which is the sole source of carbon according to Kov\\u0026aacute;cs \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e (2022).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec12\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.3 Promotion of Fungal Growth and Biomass Accumulation on HDPE and PS\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAfter preparing microplastic discs of both types (HDPE and PS) with a weight of 0.5 g and a diameter of 1 cm, they were sterilized and transferred to a conical flask containing 150 ml of broth free of dextrose and any carbon source. All conical flasks were closed and then autoclaved for sterilization at 121\\u0026deg;C for 15 min at 1.5 psi (Su \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). The flasks were left to cool to room temperature, inoculated with fungal isolates (0.5 ml of each fungal isolate per conical flask) and then kept in a rotating shaker with a gyrating speed of 100 rpm for four weeks at a temperature of 28\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;2\\u0026deg;C, with three replicates of each fungal isolate for each treatment, the fungi grown on the microplastic discs were then completely removed and washed with deionized water. The MP discs were then dried in an oven at 90\\u0026deg;C overnight and weighed accurately again (Ameen \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2015). The effect of fungi on the use of HDPE and PS was evaluated by weight variation and weight loss percentage analysis using the following equation:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eWeight loss (%) = {(initial weight\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026minus;\\u0026thinsp;final weight)/initial weight}\\u0026times;100\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis is evidence of fungal activity in decomposing MPs (Ameen \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2015; Ojha \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2017).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec13\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.4 Detection of Fungal Isolate Enzymatic Activity\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eCellulose detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCzapex medium was created by mixing 6 g of cellulose, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. The mixture was then autoclaved at 121 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes at 15 psi. By growing the colony in this medium, the utilization of cellulose was identified (Yoon \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2007).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eAmylase detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe ingredients of the starch agar medium were as follows: 1.5 g/l of yeast extract, 0.5 g/l of peptone, 1.5 g/l of sodium chloride, 10 g/l of starch, 15 g/l of agar, and a pH of 5.6. By saturating the culture plates with recently made iodine solution (0.2 g of iodine and 0.4 g of potassium iodide in 100 ml of distilled water), amylase can be detected. The amylase-containing media gains color from this solution, creating a translucent halo area (Ganesh \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eLaccase detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePepton 3.0 gm/l, glucose 10.0 gm/l, KH2PO4 0.6 gm/l, ZnSO4 0.001 gm/l, K2HPO4 0.4 gm/l, FeSO4 0.0005 gm/l, MnSO4 0.05 gm/l, MgSO4 0.5 gm/l, agar 20 gm/l, and 0.02% guaiacol indicator (dissolved 0.6205 gm from guaicol in 100 ml of D.W. at a concentration of 0.05 M) are the contents of the culture media (Solid Modified Olga medium). After 72 hours of incubation, the color of the medium changes from yellow to a reddish-brown color (Ganesh \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eCMCase (Carboxymythel Cellules) detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCzapex medium was made by mixing 10 g of CMC, 2 g of sodium nitrate, 1 g of dipotassium phosphate, 0.5 g of magnesium sulfate, 0.5 g of potassium chloride, and 0.01 g of ferrous sulfate at pH 7.3 in one liter of distilled water. It was then autoclaved at 121 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes at 15 Psi. To improve hydrolytic zone visibility, the following treatments were applied to the plates: 10 ml of 0.1% aqueous Congo red solution was used to flood the plates. To stop the coloring, the Congo red solution was poured out after 15 minutes, and then the plates were flooded again with 10 ml of 1 M NaCl solution. The salt solution was eliminated after an additional 15 minutes, and the existence of clearing zones around the colonies indicated CMC activity (Yoon \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2007).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eLipase detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003ePotato dextrose agar combined with olive oil or Tween 80 was used to detect the opalescence that formed around the fungal colony (Griebeler \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2011).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eProtease detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eCasein agar: The plates were examined for colony clear zones (Nygren \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2007).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cul\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003ePectinase detection\\u003c/b\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003c/ul\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe isolate was cultured on modified Czapek-Dox agar media. The contents of the samples were as follows (g/l): 3.0 g of NaNo3, 1.0 g of K2HPO4, and MgSo4. H2O (0.50 g), KCl (0.50 g), FeSo4 (0.01 g), sucrose (30 g), agar (15.0 g), and 1.5% carbon pectin were used. To limit the growth of bacteria, 0.1% ampicillin was added to the agar media. After adjusting the pH to 5.6, the mixture was autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121\\u0026deg;C and 1.5 psi. After the plates were centrally inoculated with 2% fungal spore suspension, they were cultured for three to five days at 28\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;2\\u0026deg;C. By saturating the culture plates with recently made iodine-potassium iodide solution (1.0 g of iodine and 5.0 g of potassium iodide in 330 ml of distilled water), pectin utilization was detected. The pectinolytic activity is illustrated by the translucent halo zone formed when pectin is broken down, which is colored by this solution (Carrasco \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2019).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec14\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.5 Examination of HDPE and PS Disc Using a Light Microscope\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe MP discs were examined using a light microscope before treatment with fungi. After four weeks of treatment with fungal isolates, during the incubation period, the discs were washed with deionized water to remove fungal overgrowth on the surface of the MPs and then stained with cotton blue to observe the extent of colonization of fungal structures and their attachment to the surface of the microplastic (Pant \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2023).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec15\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.6 Determining the Optimal Conditions for Fungal Growth on MPs (pH, Temperature and Incubation Period)\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo determine the optimal conditions for the biodegradation of HDPE and PS microplastic-modified Czapex medium, the spore suspension and pH were adjusted by using 0.1 N HCl and 0.1 N NaOH to 5, 5.5, and 6, and the mixture was incubated at different temperatures (28, 30, and 32\\u0026deg;C) for 30, 40, and 50 days. To identify the optimal biodegradation conditions for a specific combination of fungi and microplastic (MP), the parameter that provided the best fit to the experimentally obtained data for that particular combination was utilized (Bule Možar \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2023).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec16\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.7 Analyzing HDPE and PS Discs Using Scanning Electron Microscopy\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the physical analysis of MPs treated with fungal isolates and control microplastic discs that were kept before treatment. The samples were submerged for three hours in a solution of 2.5% glutaraldehyde phosphate buffer. Following liquid removal, three sodium cacodylate solution rinses were performed on the samples. After one hour of fixation in osmium tetroxide, the samples were washed with distilled water. Following a 10-minute succession of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ethanol to dehydrate the samples, they were washed with distilled water and mounted on sample stabs. Following their final gold coating, the samples were examined via SEM at a working distance of 15 cm, 20 kV, and a T1 grain size of 40 \\u0026micro;m (Ameen \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2015). This overcomes the limitations inherent in stereomicroscopy. SEM enables the acquisition of high-definition, clear images of the external surface of MPs, facilitating the differentiation between synthetic MPs and various organic materials commonly associated with them (Cooper and Corcoran 2010). Additionally, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) is employed for elemental analysis to determine the chemical compositions of plastic particles (Dey \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2021), and images were taken of the control MPs (HDPE and PS) and compared to the MP discs with fungi (Gkoutselis \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2021).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec17\\\" class=\\\"Section3\\\"\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003e2.4.8 Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eTo measure the functional groups of the MPs, FTIR was used at wavelengths between 400 and 4000 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u0026minus;\\u0026thinsp;1\\u003c/sup\\u003e at a temperature of 26\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026plusmn;\\u0026thinsp;2\\u0026deg;C and a resolution of 4.0 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u0026minus;\\u0026thinsp;1\\u003c/sup\\u003e. The microplastic discs used were dried for the control treatment, and the microplastic discs were treated with fungi. Distilled water was used to wash the MP discs. After the samples were exposed to 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% ethanol for ten minutes, they were allowed to dry (Olesen \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2017).\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"3. Results for Biological Examination\",\"content\":\"\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec19\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.1 Isolation and identification of fungi\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eIn the present study, the results of the isolation and identification of fungi indicated that 23 genera were isolated from Tigris River water samples during the two seasons. All the isolated fungal species were purified using the agar plate pour method and identified and characterized primarily according to the external appearance, backdrop, and color of the colonies on PDA media. Light microscopy was then used to investigate the features and characteristics of the hyphae, conidia, conidiophores and spore shapes of the isolated fungi.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eDuring this study, 524 fungal colonies were isolated from all water samples collected in the dry and wet seasons. Their occurrence was quantified, and they were subsequently identified, resulting in the isolation of 23 fungal genera. The results of the present study indicated that the culture features of the fungal isolates, including term surface characteristics; reverse, color, edge and diameter forward representation of the surface; and reverse features of the isolated fungus, were identified (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;3) via primary screening. After that, each fungal genus was isolated in special petri dishes (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;4).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure 3\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure 4\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMicroscopic observations of the fungal isolates are shown in Fig.\\u0026nbsp;5, which shows the conidia, conidiophores and spores.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure 5\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAmong the isolated genera, \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. was consistently found to be the most common among the fungi isolated during the study period, with over 56 isolates (10.69%), which had hyaline conidiophores, septate hyphae and a redial conidial head bearing spores, followed by \\u003cem\\u003ePenicillium\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. Fifty of the isolates (9.54%) were isolated via microscopy, with conidiophores, septate hyphae and secondary branches. \\u003cem\\u003eFusarium\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. had septate hyphae shaped of multiseptate canoe attached to the conidiophores, and \\u003cem\\u003eAlternaria\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. was the fourth most common genus (34, 6.49%), as shown in Table 1.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec20\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.2. Investigation of the Fungal Growth Ability on CMC Agar Medium and Cellulose\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe results of the primary assay of enzymatic activity showed that 57 fungal isolates out of the total obtained isolates had the ability to degrade the substrate CMC agar medium to smaller oligosaccharides or monosaccharides through the production of an extracellular enzyme called hemicellulase. The fungal isolates that grew on CMC media exhibited a halo zone around the colonies, whereas the fungal isolates that grew without any halo zone formed around the fungal colonies (Fig. 6). The current results imply that a large amount of hemicellulase is produced by \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. and \\u003cem\\u003ePenicillium\\u003c/em\\u003e spp. This enzymatic activity is important for the development of biotechnological applications in industry, according to Gomashe \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e (2013).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (6)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe sizes of the halos around the fungal colonies varied according to the type of fungal genus and species. The size of the halo zone ranged from 75 mm to 60 mm in the fungal genera \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria\\u003c/em\\u003e, and the size of the fungal zone ranged from 30 mm to 20 mm in the following genera: \\u003cem\\u003eCladosporium, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, Mucor, Botrytis, Aureobasidium\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eChalaropsis\\u003c/em\\u003e.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eA total of 41 fungal isolates that were able to grow on cellulose were obtained (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;7). The examination was based on the growth of the fungus, and its growth was compared with that of fungi grown on modified Czapek dox agar.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (7)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThere were previous studies on the enzymatic hydrolytic ability of \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus\\u003c/em\\u003e fungi that were isolated from the \\u003cem\\u003eParanaense rainforest\\u003c/em\\u003e (Argentina), and the ability of these fungi to undergo cell degradation was evaluated using Congo staining and fluorescence panel tests for carboxymethylcellulase, beta-glucosidase, and cellobiohydrolase; all the results were positive. This study demonstrated the ability of Aspergillus fungi to process cellulosic biomass (Díaz \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2021).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eIn a study by El Bergadi \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. (2014), 31 fungi were isolated from an old library in the city of Fez in Morocco, and nine isolates were obtained with a positive result in terms of CMC degradation. The most common species were \\u003cem\\u003eMucor racemosus, Aspergillus niger\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus oryzae\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eMucor racemosus\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003ePenicillium chrysogenum\\u003c/em\\u003e, as were other less common species, such as \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus melleus\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cem\\u003eHypocrea lixii\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eSchizophyllum\\u003c/em\\u003e commune.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec21\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.3. Promoting Fungal Growth and Biomass Accumulation on HDPE and PS\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe results of the present study revealed that among 41 fungal isolates grown on MPs as the sole carbon source under optimum conditions, visual observation of HDPE and PS samples treated with fungal isolates revealed limited fungal colonization, while visible growth was observed primarily in areas inoculated with \\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp., \\u003cem\\u003eA. westerndijkiae\\u003c/em\\u003e, and \\u003cem\\u003eA. glaucus\\u003c/em\\u003e. These fungal genera exhibited heavy growth and greater biomass accumulation on HDPE substrates than on PS substrates. The results indicate the selective nature of fungal decomposition toward these plastics, suggesting potential differences in plastic degradability between different fungal species. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of fungal biodegradation capabilities and provide insight into developing sustainable plastic waste management strategies.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the fungal isolates, including their probable identities, strongly differed among the four fungal isolates (Table\\u0026nbsp;2).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003ePigments and coloration, including green and whitish spores with septate and nonseptate hyphae, were observed in the fungal isolates (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;8). The four fungal isolates were investigated for protease, pectinase, lipase, laccase and amylase production, as shown in Table\\u0026nbsp;2. These fungal enzymes play an important role in utilizing and breaking down the chemical bonds of plastic polymers and using them as a carbon source.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (8)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eDuring a laboratory experiment conducted by the researchers Pramila and Ramesh (2011), where fungal isolates from the sea were exposed to growth in a medium containing low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as the sole source of carbon, an increase in the weight of the fungi was observed. This is evidence of fungal consumption of MPs as a carbon source, and the fungus was identified as an \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus\\u003c/em\\u003e spp.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAdditionally, during a laboratory experiment conducted by the researchers Ameen \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2015, fungal isolates were taken from tidal water and sediment collected from mangrove trees on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia; six fungal isolates demonstrated the ability to grow on pieces of LDPE, and the growth of fungi on the surface of the pieces was detected by SEM.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec22\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e3.4. Detection of Fungal Enzymes\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe production enzymes that could induce the biodegradation of HDPE and PS, \\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp., showed promising results (Table 3 and Fig. 9). The ability of these microbes to degrade organic and inorganic materials such as cellulose, hemielluloses, lignin and starch could enable the aforementioned fungi to quickly degrade polymers (Kumar \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2013); therefore, the growth and MP biodegradation of the 2 fungal isolates were tested in the present study.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eA previous study showed the ability of fungi to decompose MPs via enzymes secreted by fungi, such as laccases and peroxidases, which are used for decomposing lignin, and the ability of fungi to decompose polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE). Polyurethane (PUR) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are degraded by esterase enzymes such as lipases and cutinases (Temporiti \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e 2022).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eVarshney \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. (2023) reported the ability of several fungal species, such as \\u003cem\\u003eColletotrichum fructicola\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eTrichoderma viride\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eCephalosporium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp., \\u003cem\\u003eStagonosporopsis citrulli\\u003c/em\\u003e, \\u003cem\\u003eDiaporthe Italiana\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus nomius\\u003c/em\\u003e, to decompose plastic polymers of various types, as fungal strains consume plastic polymers as the sole source of carbon and convert them into environmentally friendly carbon compounds. The above studies agree with the current study.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure 9\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec23\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.5 Examination of HDPE and PS Disc Using Light Microscopy\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe ability of the obtained fungal isolates to grow and utilize HDPE and PS as carbon and nitrogen sources was tested. The growth of \\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEuroitum sp\\u003c/em\\u003e. in HDPE- and PS-containing media indicated that the isolates could utilize HDPE and PS as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources for growth. Based on these results, it was speculated that when HDPE and PS were used together, the metabolic activity of the fungi increased since they could use HDPE and PS films (Fig. 10A), which clearly indicates the growth of fungal mycelia on HDPE and PS molecules, further indicating and suggesting that exopolymer substances on the surface of fungi might be involved in this process. Since HDPE and PS are not soluble, the hydrophobicity of exopolymer substances on mycelia is essential in the absorption process. Seneviratne \\u003cem\\u003eet al.\\u003c/em\\u003e (2006) reported that fungi are considered to have a greater ability to degrade MPs because they secrete hydrophobic proteins, bind to polymer surfaces, grow faster and can penetrate various substances (Kim and Rhee 2003) (Fig. 10B).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (10)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec24\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.6 Determining the Optimal Conditions for Fungal Growth on Microplastics (pH, temperature and incubation period)\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe degradation was determined by calculating the weight loss in the HDPA and PS discs before and after fungal treatment:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv id=\\\"Equa\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv id=\\\"FileID_Equa\\\" name=\\\"EquationSource\\\"\\u003e\\u003cimg src=\\\"https://myfiles.space/user_files/122228_c8a1650c59388082/122228_custom_files/img1721755913.png\\\"\\u003e\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAfter 30, 40 and 50 days of incubation at 28, 30 and 32°C at pH 5, 5.5 and 6, two fungi were isolated from HDPE and PS degraded by \\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e (Table 4) \\u003cem\\u003eand Eurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp. (Table \\u003cspan\\u003e5\\u003c/span\\u003e) under continuous shaking.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable (1): List of identified fungal genera in Tigris River during the study period.\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"1\\\" cellspacing=\\\"0\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eFungal genera\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eNo of fungal isolates\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eoccurrence %\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eAspergillus\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e56\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e10.69\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003ePenicillium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e50\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e9.54\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eFusarium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e41\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e7.82\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eAlternaria\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e34\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e6.49\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eCladosporium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e25\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e4.77\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eTrichoderma\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e27\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e5.15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eCandida\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e21\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e4.01\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eRhizopus\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e27\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e5.15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eMucor\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e17\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e3.24\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eBotrytis\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e16\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e3.05\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eAureobasidium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e21\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e4.01\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eChalaropsis\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e19\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e3.63\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eKeratinophilic\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e16\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e3.05\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eExophiala\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.86\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eCryptococcus\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.86\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eAcremonium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e17\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e3.24\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eEurotium\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e23\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e4.39\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eRhodotorula\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.86\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003ePaecilomyces\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e14\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.67\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003ePhoma\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e14\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.67\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eScedosporium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e13\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.48\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eSporothrix\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e13\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.48\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"39.25233644859813%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eVerticillium\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"33.271028037383175%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"27.476635514018692%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e2.86\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable (2): Characteristics of fungal isolates used for HDPA and PS biodegradation\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"1\\\" cellspacing=\\\"0\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"567\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"5.291005291005291%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eNo\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"23.104056437389772%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFungi \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; identified\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"71.60493827160494%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"5.291005291005291%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e1\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"23.104056437389772%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"71.60493827160494%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eUn sexual state, basal mycelium white, conidial heads globos to radiate, walled smooth to rough. Vesicles globos to subglobs, aspergilla biseriate\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"5.291005291005291%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e2\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"23.104056437389772%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eA. glaucus\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"71.60493827160494%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eUn sexual state, filamentous fungi, thin walled, conidial heads which radiate to somewhat columnar, mycelium are septate\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"5.291005291005291%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e3\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"23.104056437389772%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003col start=\\\"1\\\" type=\\\"A\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003ewesterdijkiae\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003c/ol\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"71.60493827160494%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eUn sexual state, filamentous fungi, smooth and hyaline.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"5.291005291005291%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e4\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"23.104056437389772%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eEurotium sp.\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"71.60493827160494%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eSexual state, cleistothecia bright yellow fruit body, ascomata globos to subglobs, asci globs to subglobs, ascospore one celled, conidiophores smooth, conidia rough.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable (3): degradation enzymatic for MPs disk of fungal isolates (\\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius, Emericella, Aspergillus westerdijkiae, Eurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable dir=\\\"rtl\\\" border=\\\"1\\\" cellspacing=\\\"0\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"627\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.898089171974522%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ePectinase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eProtease\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.07643312101911%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eLipase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCMCase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.509554140127388%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eLaccase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eAmylase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eCellulase\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.10828025477707%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFungi isolate\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.898089171974522%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.07643312101911%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.509554140127388%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.10828025477707%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eA. carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.898089171974522%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.07643312101911%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.509554140127388%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.10828025477707%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eEmericella\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.898089171974522%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.07643312101911%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.509554140127388%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.10828025477707%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eA. westerdijkiae\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.898089171974522%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e-\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.07643312101911%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.509554140127388%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.101910828025478%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e+\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.10828025477707%\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eTable(4): Comparative Assessment of Microplastic Degradation by\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;via Weight Loss Analysis\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"1\\\" cellspacing=\\\"0\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\" width=\\\"567\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"100%\\\" colspan=\\\"7\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e\\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e is considered to be the major producer of ochratoxin A. Aspergillus niger occurs in a range of foods \\u0026nbsp;\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eMPs\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eTemp.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eWeight of MPs disk before treatment\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e(Control)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eLose weight after 30 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eLose weight after 40 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eLose weight after\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e50 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003ePS\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0009\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0025\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0012\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0018\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0034\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0010\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0022\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0018\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0024\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0036\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=5.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0023\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0032\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0041\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0021\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0033\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0038\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0011\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0019\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=6\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0013\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0017\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0022\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0012\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0015\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0019\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eHDPE\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0156\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0163\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0177\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0166\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0172\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0189\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0157\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0166\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0169\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0182\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0189\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0209\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=5.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0198\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0232\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0236\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0179\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0199\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0201\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0177\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0183\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0198\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003epH=6\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0181\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0193\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0232\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.052910052910052%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0168\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.34215167548501%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0176\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"11.640211640211641%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e0.0188\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.929453262786595%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eTable 5 \\u003cstrong\\u003eComparative Assessment of Microplastic Degradation by \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e Fungi via Weight Loss Analysis\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" dir=\\\"ltr\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ctable border=\\\"1\\\" cellspacing=\\\"0\\\" cellpadding=\\\"0\\\"\\u003e\\u003ctbody\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"100%\\\" colspan=\\\"7\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/em\\u003efungi\\u003cem\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/em\\u003eis a genus of fungi belonging to the family Trichocomaceae \\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp; \\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eMPs\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eTemp.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eWeight of MPs disk before treatment\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e(Control)\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eLose weight after 30 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eLose weight after 40 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eLose weight after\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e50 day\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003ePS\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0023\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0031\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0012\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0015\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0021\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0011\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0013\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0017\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0013\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0021\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0027\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=5.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0011\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0020\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0009\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0012\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0016\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0013\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0019\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0023\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=6\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0010\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0019\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0008\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0010\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0014\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003eHDPE\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0144\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0185\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0251\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0138\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0177\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0231\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0131\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0168\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0216\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0139\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0175\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0232\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=5.5\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0127\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0163\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0220\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0110\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0146\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0203\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e28°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0128\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0134\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0178\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003epH=6\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e30°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0111\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0123\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0165\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003ctr\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.54954954954955%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"9.72972972972973%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e32°C\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.45945945945946%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.5 gm\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"10.63063063063063%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0103\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"18.73873873873874%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0117\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"12.612612612612613%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e0.0154\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003ctd width=\\\"19.27927927927928%\\\" valign=\\\"top\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan dir=\\\"RTL\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/td\\u003e\\u003c/tr\\u003e\\u003c/tbody\\u003e\\u003c/table\\u003e\\n \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n \\u003cp dir=\\\"LTR\\\"\\u003e\\u0026nbsp;3.7 Analyzing LDPE and PS discs Using Scanning Electron\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec25\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eMicroscopy\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eScanning electron microscopy was used to examine the physical surface topography of the two plastic types (HDPE and PS) at each sampling unit. The plastic samples were subjected to different magnifications (Figs.\\u0026nbsp;11 and 12) to observe the surface morphology and biodegradation. Examination of the control HDPE and PS films revealed smooth and featureless surfaces (Figs.\\u0026nbsp;11 and 12).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eHigh-resolution imaging provided evidence of the physical association of mycelia (hyphae) with the surface of plastic, as demonstrated by others (Cowan \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2022). The removal of fungal biomass by HDPE films treated with \\u003cem\\u003eA. Carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium sp\\u003c/em\\u003e. resulted in appreciable surface erosion, folding and pitting in the form of cracks, holes, scions and cavities (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;11b). This observation is consistent with previous studies and fungal colonization (Sen and Raut 2015). After assessment of polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene deterioration, weight loss increased.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (11)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (12)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv id=\\\"Sec26\\\"\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003e3.8 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Analysis\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eThe changes in spectral peaks due to biodegradation were determined using an FTIR spectrophotometer (SHIMADZU – Japan). The degradation of polystyrene and the high density of polyethylene were confirmed by the changes in the functional groups in the FTIR spectra. Untreated discs served as controls, and discs of HDPE and PS were treated with isolated \\u003cem\\u003eAsp. Fumigatus\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEuorotium\\u003c/em\\u003e spp.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eInterpreting the FTIR spectrum of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) involves analyzing the characteristic peaks and their corresponding functional groups or molecular vibrations. The following is a general interpretation of the FTIR spectrum of HDPE (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;13a):\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e1. CH Stretching Bands (~ 2800–3000 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e(2970–2990 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e): This region corresponds to the stretching vibrations of C-H bonds in the methylene (CH2) groups in the polymer backbone. The presence of strong and sharp peaks in this region is characteristic of HDPE.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e2. CH2 Rocking and Scissoring Bands (~ 1400–1470 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e(1463 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e): This peak is associated with the rocking motion of CH2 groups in the polymer chain. It is typically a medium-intensity peak.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e3. CH2 Deformation Bands (~ 720–730 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e(720 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e): This region corresponds to the deformation vibrations of CH2 groups. This is another characteristic feature of HDPE.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e4. Absence of Carbonyl (C = O) Peaks: HDPE is a nonpolar polymer, and therefore, no peaks should be observed in the carbonyl (C = O) stretching region, which is typically between 1700 and 1750 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e. This absence distinguishes HDPE from other polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene.\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e5. Absence of Aromatic Bands: HDPE is also devoid of any peaks in the aromatic region (approximately 1600 − 1500 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e), as it does not contain aromatic rings in its structure.\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e6. Absence of Hydroxyl (OH) Peaks: You should not see any hydroxyl group (OH) peaks in the FTIR spectrum of HDPE, as it does not contain any hydroxyl groups in its structure.\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e7. Minor impurity peaks: In some cases, minor impurity peaks may be present in the spectrum, depending on the purity of the sample or any additives used in the HDPE formulation. These should be identified and attributed to their respective functional groups.\\u003cbr\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eIt is important to note that the specific wavenumbers and intensities of the peaks may vary slightly depending on the manufacturing process, molecular weight, and any additives in the HDPE sample. Therefore, it is essential to compare the FTIR spectrum of an HDPE sample to a reference spectrum or known standards to confirm its identity and assess any potential impurities or variations (Nishikida and Coates 2003).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eHDPE after 30 days:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cul\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAfter 30 days of exposure to HDPE, we noticed that there was no noticeable change in the chemical structure of the polymer (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;13b), and the evidence is the presence and persistence of all the vibrational bands with the same strength and intensity that were originally present in the pure polymer.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eAfter 40 days of fungal exposure to the HDPE disc (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;13c), we observed many differences in the FTIR spectrum, indicating the breaking of bonds in the old compound and the formation of new bonds, thus changing the chemical composition of the compound, as we noticed a change in the intensity of the stretching vibration present in the parent compound (decrease in concentration).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eWe noticed the disappearance of the band in the area between 1400 and 1470 cm-1, which indicates the breakage of the CH\\u003csub\\u003e2\\u003c/sub\\u003e group in the polymer chain.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/li\\u003e\\n \\u003cli\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003eWe noticed a significant change and decrease in the intensity of the beam located in the confined area (720–730 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e), which is further evidence that the fungus consumes this substance.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n \\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ul\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe appearance of new bands of strong, moderate, and weak intensity at 824, 1269, 2551, and 3454 cm\\u003csup\\u003e− 1\\u003c/sup\\u003e indicates the formation of new effective aggregates and a change in the chemical composition of the original polymer (Rohrbach et al., 2023). This interpretation also applies to the HDPE disc after it was exposed for 50 days (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;13d).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (13)\\u003c/strong\\u003e:\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eInterpreting the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene involves analyzing the characteristic peaks and their corresponding functional groups or molecular vibrations. Here, a general interpretation of the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene is given (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;14a).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e1. Aromatic C-H Stretching Bands (~ 3080 − 3050 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv class=\\\"Heading\\\"\\u003e1. Aromatic C-H Stretching Bands (~ 3080 − 3050 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e):\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e3050–3080 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e: These peaks correspond to the stretching vibrations of aromatic C-H bonds in the phenyl rings of the polystyrene structure. They typically appear as a cluster of sharp peaks.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e2. C = C Aromatic Ring Stretching Bands (~ 1590–1620 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv class=\\\"Heading\\\"\\u003e2. C = C Aromatic Ring Stretching Bands (~ 1590–1620 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e):\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e1590–1620 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e: This region is associated with the stretching vibrations of the carbon‒carbon double bonds (C = C) in the aromatic rings of the polystyrene structure.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e3. Phenyl ring out-of-plane bending (~ 690–760 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv class=\\\"Heading\\\"\\u003e3. Phenyl ring out-of-plane bending (~ 690–760 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e):\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e690–760 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e: These bands correspond to the out-of-plane bending vibrations of the phenyl rings in polystyrene. They are usually medium to strong in intensity.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003e4. Phenyl Ring In-Plane Bending (~ 1450–1500 cm):\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cdiv class=\\\"Heading\\\"\\u003e4. Phenyl Ring In-Plane Bending (~ 1450–1500 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e):\\u003c/div\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e1450–1500 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e: These bands correspond to the in-plane bending vibrations of the phenyl rings in polystyrene. They are typically medium to strong in intensity.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e5. Absence of Carbonyl (C = O) Peaks: Polystyrene is a nonpolar polymer and does not contain carbonyl (C = O) groups, so you should not observe any peaks in the carbonyl stretching region, which is typically between 1700–1750 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e6. Absence of Hydroxyl (OH) Peaks: Similarly, you should not see any hydroxyl group (OH) peaks in the FTIR spectrum of polystyrene, as it does not contain hydroxyl groups in its structure.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003e\\n \\u003cp\\u003e7. Minor Impurity Peaks: Depending on the purity of the sample or any additives used in the polystyrene formulation, minor impurity peaks may be present in the spectrum. These should be identified and attributed to their respective functional groups.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eIt is important to note that the specific wavenumbers and intensities of the peaks may vary slightly depending on the manufacturing process, molecular weight, and any additives in the polystyrene sample. Therefore, it is essential to compare the FTIR spectrum of a polystyrene sample to a reference spectrum or known standards to confirm its identity and assess any potential impurities or variations (Nishikida and Coates 2003).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ePS after 30 and 40 Days\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAfter 30 days, after PS was exposed to the fungus and preserved in a culture medium, we noticed a great similarity between the two spectra, as it was observed that there was no change in the main bands present in PS in the regions between (690–760), (1450–1500), (1590–1620) and (3050–3080) cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e where it was recorded in a disc PS that was exposed to the fungus after 30 and 40 days, which indicates that there was no change in the chemical composition of the substance; therefore, no breaking of bonds or formation of new bonds occurred (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;14b, c).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003ePS after 50 Days\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eAfter 50 days after the fungus was exposed to PS (Fig.\\u0026nbsp;14d), we noticed that the main bands present in the standard PS compound remained but at a lower intensity (lower concentration), with the appearance of some new bands in the (480 and 3444 cm\\u003csup\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003e− 1\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/sup\\u003e) region. This indicates that the fungus began to break the bonds in the styrene polymer and began to form new bonds (Rohrbach \\u003cem\\u003eet al\\u003c/em\\u003e. 2023).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eFigure (14)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\n\"},{\"header\":\"Conclusion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe fungal species that exhibited the greatest capacity for decomposing microplastics, as discovered in the study sites along the Tigris River, were \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp. These species were found to have a greater ability to degrade HDPE than PS.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cstrong\\u003eConflict of Interests\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eOn behalf of all authors, I declare there is no conflict of interest.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHuang D, Xu Y, Lei F, Yu X, Ouyang Z, Chen Y, Jia H, Guo X (2021) Degradation of polyethylene plastic in soil and effects on microbial community composition. J. Hazard. Mater.15;416:126173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126173.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eLi J, Zhang K, Zhang H (2018) Adsorption of antibiotics on microplastics. Environ Pollut1;237:460-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.050.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eRahman FM, Buraihi FK (2023) Industries Based on the Petrochemical Industry in Iraq-Plastics Industry as a Model. JEAS 15;29(137):95-111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33095/jeas.v29i137.2756.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eZhang Y, Pedersen JN, Eser BE, Guo Z (2022) Biodegradation of polyethylene and polystyrene: From microbial deterioration to enzyme discovery. Biotechnol. Adv. 1;60:107991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107991.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGross M (2017) Our planet wrapped in plastic. Curr. Biol. 21;27(16):R785-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.007\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSchwabl P, K\\u0026ouml;ppel S, K\\u0026ouml;nigshofer P, Bucsics T, Trauner M, Reiberger T, Liebmann B (2019) Detection of various microplastics in human stool: a prospective case series. Ann. Intern. Med. 1;171(7):453-7. https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-0618\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHorton AA, Walton A, Spurgeon DJ, Lahive E, Svendsen C (2017)Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: Evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities. Sci. Total Environ. 15;586:127-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.190\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eCau A, Alvito A, Moccia D, Canese S, Pusceddu A, Rita C, Angiolillo M, Follesa MC (2017) Submarine canyons along the upper Sardinian slope (Central Western Mediterranean) as repositories for derelict fishing gears. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 15;123(1-2):357-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.010\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eQuero GM, Luna GM (2017) Surfing and dining on the \\u0026ldquo;plastisphere\\u0026rdquo;: Microbial life on plastic marine debris. AIOL Journal 19;8(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2017.7211\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eO\\u0026apos;Connor IA, Golsteijn L, Hendriks AJ (2016) Review of the partitioning of chemicals into different plastics: consequences for the risk assessment of marine plastic debris. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 15;113(1-2):17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.07.021\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ee Silva PP, Nobre CR, Resaffe P, Pereira CD, Gusm\\u0026atilde;o F (2016) Leachate from microplastics impairs larval development in brown mussels. Water Res. 1;106:364-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.10.016\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHermabessiere L, Dehaut A, Paul-Pont I, Lacroix C, Jezequel R, Soudant P, Duflos G (2017) Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: a review. Chemosphere 1;182:781-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.096.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHahladakis JN, Velis CA, Weber R, Iacovidou E, Purnell P (2018) An overview of chemical additives present in plastics: Migration, release, fate and environmental impact during their use, disposal and recycling. J. Hazard. Mater. 15;344:179-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.10.014.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eBowley J, Baker-Austin C, Porter A, Hartnell R, Lewis C (2021) Oceanic hitchhikers\\u0026ndash;assessing pathogen risks from marine microplastic. Trends Microbiol. 1;29(2):107-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.011\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eLi HX, Orihuela B, Zhu M, Rittschof D (2016) Recyclable plastics as substrata for settlement and growth of bryozoans Bugula neritina and barnacles Amphibalanus amphitrite. Environ Pollut 1;218:973-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.047\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eCai L, Wu D, Xia J, Shi H, Kim H (2019) Influence of physicochemical surface properties on the adhesion of bacteria onto four types of plastics. Sci. Total Environ. 25;671:1101-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.434\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eShukur SA, Hassan FM, Fakhry SS, Ameen F, Stephenson SL (2023) Evaluation of microplastic pollution in a lotic ecosystem and its ecological risk. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 1;194:115401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115401\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSilva AB, Costa MF, Duarte AC (2018) Biotechnology advances for dealing with environmental pollution by micro (nano) plastics: Lessons on theory and practices. Curr. Opin. Environ. Sci. Health 1;1:30-5.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eTang X, Chen EY (2019) Toward infinitely recyclable plastics derived from renewable cyclic esters. Chem. 14;5(2):284-312.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eLucas N, Bienaime C, Belloy C, Queneudec M, Silvestre F, Nava-Saucedo JE (2008) Polymer biodegradation: Mechanisms and estimation techniques\\u0026ndash;A review. Chemosphere 1;73(4):429-42.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eShah AA, Hasan F, Hameed A, Ahmed S (2008) Biological degradation of plastics: a comprehensive review. Biotechnol. Adv. 1;26(3):246-65.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ePete AJ (2022) Bioremediation of Petroleum-Based Contaminants by Alkane-Degrading Bacterium Alcanivorax Borkumensis (Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State University and Agricultural \\u0026amp; Mechanical College).\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ePreethi PS, Hariharan NM, Vickram S, Rameshpathy M, Manikandan S, Subbaiya R, Karmegam N, Yadav V, Ravindran B, Chang SW, Awasthi MK (2022) Advances in bioremediation of emerging contaminants from industrial wastewater by oxidoreductase enzymes. Bioresour. Technol. 1;359:127444.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGrossart HP, Hassan EA, Masigol H, Arias-Andres M, Rojas-Jimenez K (2021) Inland water fungi in the anthropocene: Current and future perspectives. The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Second Edition, Ed Kendra Cheruvelil.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGallo F, Fossi C, Weber R, Santillo D, Sousa J, Ingram I, Nadal A, Romano D (2020) Marine litter plastics and microplastics and their toxic chemicals components: the need for urgent preventive measures. InAnalysis of Nanoplastics and Microplastics in Food . Dec 2 (pp. 159-179). CRC Press.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eDey TK, Uddin ME, Jamal M (2021) Detection and removal of microplastics in wastewater: evolution and impact. ESPR.;28:16925-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12943-5\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSolanki S, Sinha S, Singh R (2022) Myco-degradation of microplastics: an account of identified pathways and analytical methods for their determination. Biodegradation ;33(6):529-56. doi: 10.1007/s10532-022-10001-6. Epub 2022 Oct 13. PMID: 36227389.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eKumar S, Das MP, Rebecca LJ, Sharmila S (2013) Isolation and identification of LDPE degrading fungi from municipal solid waste. JOCPR.;5(3):78-81.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSen SK, Raut S (2015) Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE): A review. . JOCPR 1;3(1):462-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.01.003.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHadar Y, Sivan A (2004) Colonization, biofilm formation and biodegradation of polyethylene by a strain of Rhodococcus ruber. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol ;65:97-104.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eTribedi P, Sil AK (2013) Low-density polyethylene degradation by Pseudomonas sp. AKS2 biofilm. ESPR.;20:4146-53.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eWei R, Zimmermann W (2017) Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum‐based plastics: how far are we?. Microb. Biotechnol;10(6):1308-22.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAlbertsson AC, Andersson SO, Karlsson S (1987) The mechanism of biodegradation of polyethylene. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 1;18(1):73-87.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAl-Ansari N, AlJawad S, Adamo N, Sissakian VK, Laue J, Knutsson S (2018) Water quality within the Tigris and Euphrates catchments. Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering.;8(3):95-121.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eChabuk A, Al-Madhlom Q, Al-Maliki A, Al-Ansari N, Hussain HM, Laue J (2020) Water quality assessment along Tigris River (Iraq) using water quality index (WQI) and GIS software. Arab. J. Geosci;13:1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05575-5.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAljanabi ZZ, Hassan FM, Al-Obaidy AH (2022) Heavy metals pollution profiles in Tigris River within Baghdad city. InIOP Conference Series: EES 1 (Vol. 1088, No. 1, p. 012008). IOP Publishing. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364339535.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAl-Qaissi AR, Hamoudi AH, Hassoun KW (2022) Morphological and Molecular Identification of Aquatic Fungi in Tigris River for some Areas in Salah Al-Din province and Evaluating their Enzymatic Activity. Drug Deliv. Technol.;12(2):463-71.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eEllis MB (1971) Dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Dematiaceous hyphomycetes.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eJayawardena RS, Hyde KD, Wang S, Sun YR, Suwannarach N, Sysouphanthong P, Abdel-Wahab MA, Abdel-Aziz FA, Abeywickrama PD, Abreu VP, Armand A (2022) Fungal diversity notes 1512\\u0026ndash;1610: Taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa. Fungal Divers; 117(1):1-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-022-00513-0\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eDugan FM (2006) The identification of fungi: an illustrated introduction with keys, glossary, and guide to literature. Apr 12.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSalawudeen MT, Kazeem HM, Raji MA, Oniye SJ, Kwanashie CN, Ibrahim MJ (2017) Isolation and identification of fungi from apparently healthy and diseased Clarias gariepinus from freshwater in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Microbiol. Res. J. Int.; 5(1):8-15.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSarma VV, Hyde KD (2001) A review on frequently occurring fungi in mangroves. Fungal Divers; 1;8:1-34.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eKov\\u0026aacute;cs E, Szűcs C, Farkas A, Szuhaj M, Mar\\u0026oacute;ti G, Bagi Z, R\\u0026aacute;khely G, Kov\\u0026aacute;cs KL (2022) Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biogas substrates by filamentous fungi. J. Biotech. 10;360:160-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.10.013\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eZohri AE, Ali MM (2022) Evaluation of cellulases production by Aspergillus niger using response surface methodology. ESJ; 20;19:18-28. https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/esugj.2022.155979.1017\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSu Y, Qi H, Hou Y, Gao M, Li J, Cai M, Zhu X, Chen M, Ge C, Fu D, Wang Z (2022) Combined Effects of Microplastics and Benzo [a] pyrene on the Marine Diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. Front. mar. sci;3;8:779321. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.779321\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eAmeen F, Moslem M, Hadi S, Al-Sabri AE (2015) Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) by Mangrove fungi from the red sea coast. Prog. Rubber Plast. Recycl.Technol.;31(2):125-43.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eOjha N, Pradhan N, Singh S, Barla A, Shrivastava A, Khatua P, Rai V, Bose S (2017) Evaluation of HDPE and LDPE degradation by fungus, implemented by statistical optimization. Sci. Rep. 4;7(1):39515.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ePant R, Rohilla B, Chaudhary S, Bhatt R, Patrick N, Gupta A (2023) Isolation and Screening of Aqua-borne fungi from Song River. RJPT;16(6):2949-54.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eBule Možar K, Miloloža M, Martinjak V, Cvetnić M, Ocelić Bulatović V, Mandić V, Bafti A, Ukić \\u0026Scaron;, Kučić Grgić D, Bolanča T (2023) Bacteria and Yeasts Isolated from the Environment in Biodegradation of PS and PVC Microplastics: Screening and Treatment Optimization. Environ.; 29;10(12):207. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10120207\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eDey TK, Uddin ME, Jamal M (2021) Detection and removal of microplastics in wastewater: evolution and impact. ESPR.;28:16925-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12943-5\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGkoutselis G, Rohrbach S, Harjes J, Obst M, Brachmann A, Horn MA, Rambold G (2021) Microplastics accumulate fungal pathogens in terrestrial ecosystems. Sci. Rep. 15;11(1):13214. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92405-7\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eOlesen KB, van Alst N, Simon M, Vianello A, Liu F, Vollertsen J (2017) Analysis of microplastics using FTIR imaging: application note. Agilent Application Note Environment.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGomashe AV, Gulhane PA, Bezalwar PM (2013) Isolation and screening of cellulose degrading microbes from nagpur region soil. Int. J. of Life Sciences; 1(4):291-3.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eD\\u0026iacute;az GV, Coniglio RO, Chungara CI, Zapata PD, Villalba LL, Fonseca MI (2021) Aspergillus niger LBM 134 isolated from rotten wood and its potential cellulolytic ability. Mycol. J. 3;12(3):160-73. https://doi.org/10.1080%2F21501203.2020.1823509.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eEl Bergadi F, Laachari F, Elabed S, Mohammed IH, Ibnsouda SK (2014) Cellulolytic potential and filter paper activity of fungi isolated from ancients manuscripts from the Medina of Fez. Ann. Microbiol. Jun;64:815-22. DOI 10.1007/s13213-013-0718-6\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ePramila R, Ramesh KV (2011) Biodegradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) by fungi isolated from marine water a SEM analysis. Afr J Microbiol Res.30;5(28):5013-8. DOI: 10.5897/AJMR11.670\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eKumar S, Das MP, Rebecca LJ, Sharmila S (2013) Isolation and identification of LDPE degrading fungi from municipal solid waste. JOCPR.;5(3):78-81.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eTemporiti ME, Nicola L, Nielsen E, Tosi S (2022) Fungal enzymes involved in plastics biodegradation. Microorganisms. Jun 8;10(6):1180. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fmicroorganisms10061180\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eVarshney S, Gupta V, Yadav AN, Rahi RK, Neelam DK (2023) An overview on role of fungi in systematic plastic degradation. J. appl. biol. 4;11(3):61-9. DOI: 10.7324/JABB.2023.108929\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSeneviratne G, Tennakoon NS, Weerasekara ML, Nandasena KA (2006) Polyethylene biodegradation by a developed Penicillium\\u0026ndash;Bacillus biofilm. Curr. Sci. 10;90(1):20-1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283803718\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eKim DY,Rhee YH, (2003) Biodegradation of microbial and synthetic polyesters by fungi. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol; 61, pp.300-308. doi: 10.1007/s00253-002-1205-3.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eCore\\u0026ntilde;o J, M\\u0026eacute;ndez M, (2010) Relaci\\u0026oacute;n estructura-propiedades de pol\\u0026iacute;meros. Educaci\\u0026oacute;n qu\\u0026iacute;mica, 21(4), pp.291-299.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eMcKeen LW, (2014) Plastics used in medical devices. In Handbook of polymer applications in medicine and medical devices (pp. 21-53). William Andrew Publishing. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-323-22805-3.00003-7\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eMohan AJ, Sekhar VC, Bhaskar T, Nampoothiri KM, (2016) Microbial assisted high impact polystyrene (HIPS) degradation. Bioresour. Technol, 213, pp.204-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.021.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eMiloloža M, Ukić \\u0026Scaron;, Cvetnić M, Bolanča T, Kučić Grgić D, (2022) Optimization of Polystyrene Biodegradation by \\u003cem\\u003eBacillus cereus\\u003c/em\\u003e and Pseudomonas alcaligenes Using Full Factorial Design. Polymers, 14(20), p.4299. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204299\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSyranidou E, Karkanorachaki K, Amorotti F, Avgeropoulos A, Kolvenbach B, Zhou NY, Fava F, Corvini PF, Kalogerakis N (2019) Biodegradation of mixture of plastic films by tailored marine consortia. J. Hazard. Mater. 5;375:33-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.04.078.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eCowan AR, Costanzo CM, Benham R, Loveridge EJ, Moody SC, (2022) Fungal bioremediation of polyethylene: Challenges and perspectives. J. Appl. Microbiol., 132(1), pp.78-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15203.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eYang Y, Yang J, Wu WM, Zhao J, Song Y, Gao L, Yang R, Jiang L, (2015) Biodegradation and mineralization of polystyrene by plastic-eating mealworms: part 2. Role of gut microorganisms. Environ. Sci. Technol.49(20), pp.12087-12093. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b02663.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003ePark SY, Kim CG, (2019) Biodegradation of micropolyethylene particles by bacterial colonization of a mixed microbial consortium isolated from a landfill site. Chemosphere, 222, pp.527-533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.159\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eHaider TP, V\\u0026ouml;lker C, Kramm J, Landfester K, Wurm FR, (2019) Plastics of the future? The impact of biodegradable polymers on the environment and on society. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58(1), pp.50-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201805766.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eIbietela D, Olufunmilayo W, Ijeoma E, (2020) Effect of waste separation on the composting of organic waste fraction from domestic solid waste. Microbiol. Res. J. Int., 30(10), pp.1-17. https://doi.org/10.9734/mrji/2020/v30i1030271\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eEsmaeili A, Pourbabaee AA, Alikhani HA, Shabani F, Esmaeili E, (2013) Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by mixed culture of Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus and \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus niger\\u003c/em\\u003e in soil. Plos one, 8(9), p.e71720. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071720\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eSen SK, Raut S, ( 2015) Microbial degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE): A review. J. Environ. Chem. Eng, 3(1), pp.462-473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2015.01.003.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eTavares APM, Coelho MAZ, Agapito MSM, Coutinho JAP, Xavier AMRB, (2006) Optimization and modeling of laccase production by Trametes versicolor in a bioreactor using statistical experimental design. Appl Biochem Biotechnol;134, pp.233-248.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eGonzales V, (2019) Biodegradative capacity of filamentous fungi against polyethylene (undergraduate thesis). Graduate School, National University of the Altiplano, Puno, Peru\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eCowan AR, Costanzo CM, Benham R, Loveridge EJ, Moody SC, (2022) Fungal bioremediation of polyethylene: Challenges and perspectives. J. Appl. Microbiol.132(1), pp.78-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15203.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eNishikida K, Coates J (2003) Infrared and Raman analysis of polymers. InHandbook of plastics analysis Jun 25 (pp. 198-328). CRC Press.\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli\\u003eRohrbach S, Gkoutselis G, Mauel A, Telli N, Senker J, Ho A, Rambold G, Horn MA, (2023) Setting new standards: Multiphasic analysis of microplastic mineralization by fungi. Chemosphere, p.141025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.141025\\u003c/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":true,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"Microplastic, Degradation, Aspergillus carbonarius, Eurotium sp, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eMicroplastics (MPs) are prevalent pollutants in environments that are colonized by various groups of microbes. Fungi are considered among the most efficient microbial degraders of MPs because they produce salient enzymes and can survive on recalcitrant compounds with limited nutrients. While most studies have focused on the occurrence of MPs in wastewater treatment systems, MP degradation in fresh water and wastewater is generally poorly understood. Therefore, the current study included the isolation of some genera of fungi from the Tigris River water environment that have the ability to degrade MPs in both natural and artificial environments utilizing synthetic media. Using weight loss measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the chemical structure of the plastic polymers, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the size and morphology of the microplastics and the degree of plastic consumed by the aquatic fungus. The biodegradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS) by the aquatic fungus \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp. was also examined. Overall, \\u003cem\\u003eAspergillus carbonarius\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEurotium\\u003c/em\\u003e sp. were able to degrade HDPE more efficiently than PS without requiring any prior microplastic treatment. Therefore, the ability of fungi to degrade MPs was confirmed by weight loss, FTIR, and SEM data. Therefore, the results indicate that the isolated fungus has a promising future for polymer breakdown in both artificial and natural environments. Investigating the long-term impacts and gaining a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms of microplastic disintegration should be the main goals of future research.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Unveiling Fungal Proficiency in Microplastic Degradation: A Comprehensive Research Investigation\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:45\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4483006/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"researchsquare\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"/submission\",\"title\":\"Research Square\",\"twitterHandle\":\"researchsquare\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":false,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"e2cd23e6-b793-4707-9b04-c7b19c22bcc8\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"July 23rd, 2024\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"posted\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2024-07-23T20:41:22+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2024-07-23 18:03:45\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-4483006\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-4483006\",\"identity\":\"rs-4483006\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}