Degradation of polycaprolactone at 50 °C by a thermotolerant Aspergillus sp.

A thermotolerant Aspergillus sp. strain ST-01 degrading poly(ε-caprolactone) films was isolated. The polyester was degraded and assimilated giving 36 mg of cell from 100 mg sample and 10 mg yeast extract after 6 days at 50 °C. The degradation products were identified as succinic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and caproic acid. The isolate also degraded more than 90% film samples of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly(tetramethylene succinate-co-tetramethylene adipate) at 50 °C.