Asian Journal of Biology

Bioplastics made from sago flour have the potential to be developed into plastic-based industrial materials that are environmentally friendly and easily degraded by microorganisms. A. flavus DSFP.J1 and A. niger DFSP.J4 are microorganisms from a type of fungus that are proven to be able to degrade sago bioplastics, but have not yet obtained optimal degradation power. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain optimal conditions of the two isolates of fungi in degrading bioplastics made from sago flour at variable inoculum concentrations of 10, 20, 30,40, 50% v/w. The manufacture of sago bioplastics is done by adding acetic acid as a catalyst and added glycerol to form plastic properties in 15% sago flour, after being formed and cut to a size of 1 cm2. Observations to determine the degradation power were carried out after an incubation period of seven days to the next five weeks. The results obtained showed that the optimal conditions of A. flavus DFSP.J1 and in degrading sago bioplastics at 40% inoculum concentration with a degradation power of 56.52% in the fifth week of observation and tended to increase the degradation power on the following day, as well as A. niger DFSP.J4 optimally degrades at 30% inoculum concentration with a degradation power of 55.90% in the fifth week of observation.  The results of the research, it can be concluded. Both the fungus A. flavus DFSP. J1 and A. niger  DFSP.J4 showed that potentialy to be developed for further research to increase its degradation power higher and faster.