Hopes to fight plastic pollution, which is emerging as a major environmental issue, are left by the discovery by scientists of a worm that … feeds on plastic.
A team of researchers from the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology has discovered one: the Kenyan mealworm. Endemic to Africa, but now widespread across the globe, this beetle larva of the genus Alphitobius can consume and degrade plastic, researchers have found.
This finding could be particularly useful in combating plastic pollution in Africa, the researchers noted. Africa is the second most plastic-polluted continent in the world, despite producing only 5% of global plastic pollution, according to the World Health Organization.
In their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers discovered that this particular species of mealworm can consume and digest polystyrene, which is commonly used in food packaging. In more detail, it was found that the larvae could consume almost 50% of the polystyrene they were fed on, with their performance increasing when the plastic was mixed with bran or grain husks.
The bacteria that live in the mealworm’s gut help it break down the complex polymers of plastic. Microbial communities, including those of the genera Kluyvera, Lactococcus and Klebsiella, play a critical role in digesting the polystyrene, turning it into simpler compounds that the mealworm can process without harm. These bacteria produce enzymes capable of digesting plastic, so increasing the number of these bacteria or enzymes in mealworms could increase their efficiency in processing plastic, without harming the insects themselves.
Scientists could then identify the specific bacterial strains and enzymes involved in breaking down polystyrene and use them to recycle plastic waste. The research may lay the groundwork for a future path to converting plastic into high-value insect protein for animal feed.
“We will also investigate the mechanisms of the bacteria in the mealworm in degrading the plastic. “We want to understand whether the bacteria is intrinsic to mealworms or whether it is a defense strategy acquired after feeding on plastic,” said study co-author Evalyn Dotono.
With information from LiveScience
