PROCESS OF TRANSFORMING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) BY BIOLOGICAL METHOD.

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for obtaining cellulose from medical-surgical personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, gowns, caps, pants, or boots, using a biological transformation or degradation method with basidiomycete fungi. These fungi produce a set of extracellular enzymes, including 6-1,4-glucanases, exo-1,4-glucanases, β-glucosidase, manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, phenoloxidase (laccase), catechol oxidase, phenolmonoxidase, treolase, and enzymes such as Trametes versicolor, T. trogil, and T. gallica, which are capable of degrading cellulosic materials such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The cellulose obtained by this method can be used as a raw material in industrial processes.