Biodegradation of Food Waste by Mesophilic and Thermophilic Microorganisms in Duhok city

Abstract

Garbage kitchen waste has been considered as one of the most difficult global issues with negative effect on the environment and health. It contains high amounts of cellulose and other organic waste which become ideal environments for the growth of pathogenic microbes and their toxic products which may reach agricultural land and water system. As a compromise, certain microbes are implemented under certain conditions to reduce and manage food waste. In the present study microorganism isolated from garbage kitchen waste collected in Duhok city. one thermophilic bacterium, two mesophilic bacteria, and fungus. All isolates were identified to the genus level and verified by morphological and biochemical characteristics. The findings show that two mesophilic bacteria were fungus from the genera Mucor and Rhizopus, one was a bacterium from the family Staphylococci, and one was a thermophilic Bacillus species. The enzyme activities of the isolates were estimated and revealed that Bacillus spp. has cellulase, protease and catalase activity while Staphylococcus spp. has only protease and catalase activity. Mucor and Rhizopus spp. have only cellulase and catalase activity. To estimate the level of garbage degradation. The level of garbage degradation was estimated by tacking the weight of the sample before and after degradation as well as detecting the content of protein and carbohydrate by using Folin Lowry and di-nitro salicyclic acid, phenol sulphuric acid method. The comparative study showed that both mesophilic (Mucor) and thermophilic microorganisms (Bacillus) showed the best degrader compared with Staphylococcus and Rhizopus.

Keywords

• keywords: biodegradation
• mesophilic
• thermophilic
• enzyme activity
• food waste