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03. Science and Technology (Natural Sciences) Committee

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/3

In creating a culture of peace and addressing sustainable development challenges, UNESCO aims to cultivate the generation and application of scientific knowledge among its Member States. At UNACOM, we facilitate access to UNESCO’s international programmes in the sciences, such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, and International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP), among others.

Through this sector, the Commission aims to contribute to the following SDGs: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13 - Climate Action, 14 - Life Below Water, and 15 - Life On Land. With the overarching vision of the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), UNACOM targets grassroots-inspired cultural heritage and biodiversity protection and conservation, as well as multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDGs promotion.

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AGROVOC Keyword: search.filters.agrovoc.degradationGeographic name: search.filters.geographicname.Manila Bay

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    Potential of sediment bacterial communities from Manila Bay (Philippines) to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
    Gomez, Norchel Corcia F.; Onda, Deo Florence L. (Springer, 2022-12-24)
    The persistence of plastics and its effects in different environments where they accumulate, particularly in coastal areas, is of serious concern. These plastics exhibit signs of degradation, possibly mediated by microorganisms. In this study, we investigated the potential of sediment microbial communities from Manila Bay, Philippines, which has a severe plastics problem, to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Plastics in selected sites were quantified and sediment samples from sites with the lowest and highest plastic accumulation were collected. These sediments were then introduced and incubated with LDPE in vitro for a period of 91 days. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy detected the appearance of carbonyl and vinyl products on the plastic surface, indicating structural surface modifications attributed to polymer degradation. Communities attached to the plastics were profiled using high-throughput sequencing of the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Members of the phylum Proteobacteria dominated the plastic surface throughout the experiment. Several bacterial taxa associated with hydrocarbon degradation were also enriched, with some taxa positively correlating with the biodegradation indices, suggesting potential active roles in the partial biodegradation of plastics. Other taxa were also present, which might be consuming by-products or providing nourishment for other groups, indicating synergy in utilizing the plastic as the main carbon source and creation of a microenvironment within the plastics biofilm. This study showed that sediment microbes from Manila Bay may have naturally occurring microbial groups potentially capable of partially degrading plastics, supporting previous studies that the biodegradation potential for plastics is ubiquitously present in marine microbial assemblages.