Fig. 6

Ability of microbial isolates and communities to modify amorphous PET film surfaces. Panel a shows Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and b shows absorbance ratios between the reference wavenumber 1410 cm⁻¹ and carboxylic acid C=O and C-O (I₁₇₁₁/I₁₄₁₀ and I₁₂₄₀/I₁₄₁₀, respectively), aromatic C-H (I₇₂₅/I₁₄₁₀) and ester C-O (I₁₀₉₀/I₁₄₁₀) bonds. FTIR spectra were smoothed and normalised prior to plotting and calculation of ratios. FTIR spectra lines represent means of three biological replicates and bars and error bars represent means and standard deviations, respectively, of three biological replicates. Asterisks denote significant results (p<0.05) for two independent samples T tests between microbial treatments and controls with no inoculum