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Biodegradation of polystyrene by intestinal symbiotic bacteria isolated from mealworms, the larvae of Tenebrio molitor

World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, September 7 - 12, 2009, Munich, Germany 2023 17 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Ji Won Park, Minjun Kim, Seo-Young Kim, Jihye Bae, Tae‐Jong Kim

Summary

This study found that the gut microbiome of mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) harbors a diverse community of polystyrene-degrading bacteria, suggesting that intestinal symbionts of these insects could be harnessed as a biological strategy for breaking down one of the world's most persistent plastic pollutants.

Polymers

Bacterial identification shows that a broad spectrum of bacteria decomposing polystyrene coexists in the intestinal tract of mealworms.

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