Rubber gloves biodegradation by a consortium, mixed culture and pure culture isolated from soil samples

Abstract An increasing production of natural rubber (NR) products has led to major challenges in waste management. In this study, the degradation of rubber latex gloves in a mineral salt medium (MSM) using a bacterial consortium, a mixed culture of the selected bacteria and a pure culture were studied. The highest 18% weight loss of the rubber gloves were detected after incubated with the mixed culture. The increased viable cell counts over incubation time indicated that cells used rubber gloves as sole carbon source leading to the degradation of the polymer. The growth behavior of NR-degrading bacteria on the latex gloves surface was investigated using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The occurrence of the aldehyde groups in the degradation products was observed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis. Rhodococcus pyridinivorans strain F5 gave the highest weight loss of rubber gloves among the isolated strain and posses latex clearing protein encoded by lcp gene. The mixed culture of the selected strains showed the potential in degrading rubber within 30 days and is considered to be used efficiently for rubber product degradation. This is the first report to demonstrate a strong ability to degrade rubber by Rhodococcus pyridinivorans.

Simple Molding Method for Post-distant Flap Stated Finger by Using Surgical Rubber Gloves

In both cosmetic and functional aspects, loss of digital pulp is a common problem. Compound or composite defects of the hand and fingers with exposed denuded tendon, bone, joint, or neurovascular structures may require flap coverage. Most often these lesions can be repaired by using simple local flap, neurovascular flap, thenar flap, and cross-finger flap. But microvascular reconstruction is sometimes needed for large defects. But Authors do not recommend these procedures in case of severe crushing injuries involving multiple finger pulp losses because they have possibility of damage of the vascular network and infection. So we applied distant flaps such as chest flaps, groin flaps, abdominal flaps and etc. And then we applied surgical rubber gloves for remodeling the flap after cutaneous healing. We have acquired satisfactory results, after the simple molding method for distant flap finger by using surgical rubber gloves treatment.