Fig. 4. (a) Exiguobacterium strains growth with glucose and polystyrene as a carbon source. Strains incubated in LCFBM medium with additional glucose and polystyrene beads in separate flasks for 45 days at 30 °C under shaking conditions. Growth was monitored at regular intervals. Advancement in growth was seen in the cultures incubated with polystyrene after 20 days of incubation suggesting that Exiguobacterium strains started utilizing PS as a carbon source. ES and EU represents Exiguobacterium sibiricum strain DR11 and Exiguobacterium undae strain DR14 respectively. (b) Percent weight loss of polystyrene by Exiguobacterium strains. E. sibiricum DR11 and strain DR14 cells were inoculated in LCBF medium (108 cells per ml) with polystyrene pieces and incubated for 30 days at 30 °C. Control was represented by LCFBM with PS without bacteria.
