The aim of this study is the production, purification, and characterisation of thermostable raw starch hydrolyzing α-amylase produced by Bacillus mojavensis SO-10. The maximum production conditions of α-amylase were found at 36^th hour, 35 °C and pH 7.0. We utilized three steps to purify the thermostable α-amylase and as a result, 34-fold and 18% yield were obtained. The molecular weight of purified α-amylase was determined as 73 kD. The K_m and V_max rates were detected as 0.010 mM and 3.38 µmol min⁻¹, respectively. This purified α-amylase exhibited the highest activity at pH 5.0-6.0 and 70 ºC and showed stability over a wide variety of pH and temperature at 4.0-8.0, and 40-50 ºC, respectively. The thermostable purified α-amylase exhibited stability in the presence of denaturing agents and heavy metal ions. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed the raw starches of corn and wheat grains in the ratio of 36.7% and 39.2% respectively. The end-yields of soluble starch hydrolysis were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). In addition, the usage of purified α-amylase in clarification of apple juice and domestic washing detergent industries were evaluated.

There are several studies stating that many types of microplastics cannot be retained completely by conventional wastewater treatment systems. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the discharge of these microplastics to the ecological system. The objective of this study was to investigate the biodegradation ability of two different size of PE (50 and 150 µm) by using two Gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped, and motile thermophilic bacteria, called strain Gecek4 and strain ST5, which can hydrolyse starch, were isolated from the soil’s samples of Gecek and Ömer hot-springs in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, respectively. Phenotypic features and 16S rRNA analyzing of strains also studied. According to these results, Gecek4s and ST5 were identified as Anoxybacillus flavithermus Gecek4s and Bacillus firmus ST5, respectively. Results showed that A. flavithermus Gecek4s could colonise the polymer surface and cause surface damage whereas B. firmus ST5 could not degrade bigger-sized particles efficiently. In addition, morphological changes on microplastic surface were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) where dimensional changes, irregularities, crack, and/or holes were detected. This finding suggests that there is a high potential to develop an effective integrated method for plastic bags degradation by extracellular enzymes from bacteria. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT