Angel Xavier Grajales Zapata

Mx. Angel Xavier Grajales Zapata

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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21 September 2026 in Polymers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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ÓGÓscar Martínez González
Óscar Martínez González
MCMirelys Michelle Caceres
Mirelys Michelle Caceres
AZAngel Xavier Grajales Zapata
Angel Xavier Grajales Zapata
LGLuis González
Luis González
FUFranz Edin Robles Urriola
Franz Edin Robles Urriola
ARAlex Eliesser Ríos-Moreno
Alex Eliesser Ríos-Moreno
The accumulation of polyethylene (PE) in the environment represents a persistent ecological challenge, and the search for biological agents capable of degrading it without relying on prior abiotic pretreatment remains an active area of research. In this study, three bacterial strains—Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Acinetobacter pittii—were isolated from the gut of Galleria mellonella larvae dietarily induced with native low-density polyethylene (LDPE), without prior UV, thermal, or chemical treatment. Molecular identification was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis. Degradative activity was assessed using a multi-method approach: a colorimetric DCPIP assay, gravimetric mass loss at 45 days, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, SDS-PAGE, and scanning electron microscopy. All three strains showed metabolic activity toward LDPE, with A. pittii producing the greatest mass loss. FTIR analysis revealed the appearance of hydroxyl and C–O-containing functionalities without detectable carbonyl accumulation, a pattern consistent with the hypothesized activation of an oxidative pathway mediated by the alkane hydroxylase (AlkB) system, pending direct molecular/biochemical confirmation. These results expand the still-limited number of reports on native-PE-degrading activity documented individually for E. hormaechei and A. pittii and reinforce the value of the G. mellonella gut microbiome as a reservoir of bacteria with biotechnological potential for plastic waste management.