Mealworms are also able to survive purely on a polystyrene diet and have been shown to degrade plastic molecules in their digestive systems, converting about half of the plastic into carbon dioxide and the other half into feces. For instance, waxworms, known as Indian meal moth, ( Plodia interpunctella) are capable of degrading polyethylene, and so is the Galleria mellonella, a honeycomb moth found throughout the world. The ability to break down plastic is seen in other species. Those species include a type of bacteria and human pathogen called Pseudomonas that often causes pneumonia in foals, a disease known as Rhodococcus, and dozens of Corynebacterium, a bacteria known to infect humans. These plastic-degrading enzymes, which are described in the peer-reviewed journal Microbial Genomics, are also found in other species associated with polystyrene degradation. Second, the superworms ingest plastic particles that are then further degraded by the microbial community in the digestive tract. First, they use their mouths to chomp the material into smaller pieces. In short, insects offer up a two-chop physical and biochemical approach to breaking down plastic. This area of study identifies the genomes of microorganisms, like those living in the guts of superworms, to pinpoint certain enzymes, which are proteins used to speed up the chemical reaction in a cell. “This suggests the worms can derive energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their gut microbes.”īut how could an organic organism survive on a purely plastic diet? To find out, the researchers conducted a type of DNA analysis known as metagenomics. “We found the superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” said study author Chris Rinke in a news release. Superworms on each diet completed their life cycle and, surprisingly, of the worms given only a plastic diet, more than 95% survived the course of the study - a survival rate on par with the other groups. The scientists tracked the worms, their eating habits, and their potential weight gain. Over the course of several weeks, researchers from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, split a total of 171 worms into three groups: one that ate only organic wheat bran, one that was fed a diet of polystyrene, and a third group that was not fed at all. That’s why scientists are exploring various ways to break down plastics. In 2018 alone, which is the latest data available, as of this writing, plastic production reached 396 million tons (360 million tonnes), reported the European trade association Plastics Europe, and demand is only expected to grow while recycling rates remain low. Polystyrene, a common ingredient in Styrofoam, is one of the most produced plastics in the world and can persist in the environment for decades. Because they are inexpensive and durable, plastics - which are manufactured from organic polymers - can take decades to degrade. According to a study published in June 2022, the insect has a special bacterial enzyme in its gut and a unique appetite for polystyrene - a type of plastic most commonly found in Styrofoam and other plastic foams.ĭarkling beetles survive in a wide range of habitats, and so do plastics. Zophobas morio is a species of darkling beetle in the larval form that's native to a number of North American habitats, from deserts to forests and everything in between. A so-called “superworm” is equipped with its own new-to-science superpower: consuming and breaking down plastic products like Styrofoam.
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