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A Mini Review on Biologically Innovative Solution for Biodegradation of Plastics/Microplastics by the Use of Superworms
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This review synthesizes evidence on superworm larvae (Zophobas atratus) as a biological tool for degrading plastics and microplastics, describing how gut microbes including Pseudomonas and Enterococcus depolymerize plastic into carbon dioxide and larval biomass. Superworm-based biodegradation offers a scalable pathway to reduce plastic pollution at its source, though research remains largely limited to polystyrene with little work on other common polymers like PET.
The exponentially increasing plastic pollution in environment requires effective and sustainable biodegradation methods. Superworm (larvae of Zophobas atratus also known as Zophobas morio) have been shown to ingest and degrade plastics/microplastics depending on environmental conditions. Because there is no sufficient knowledge of the effect of plastics/microplastics on superworms and analysis of their degradation mechanism, it is timely to provide more evidences to demonstrate their capability, impact, degradation pathways, and remaining challenges. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively discuss the ability of superworms to degrade plastics or microplastics (MPs). Superworms have demonstrated the ability to metabolize various types of plastics or MPs into carbon dioxide and larval biomass. The degradation process involves depolymerization and subsequent microbial action within their gut, leading to a reduction in the size and chemical complexity of the plastics. Microbes such as Pseudomonas sp., Enterobacteriaceae sp., and Enterococcus sp. have been commonly observed in the gut of superworms. This review showed that most previous works focus on the use of superworms to degrade/remove PS, whereas other types of plastic polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), have not been explored. Implementation of this technology has the potential to significantly reduce plastic pollution and support environmental sustainability solutions.
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Researchers reviewed chemical and biological strategies for microplastic removal, finding that certain earthworm species can absorb and decompose microplastic particles within weeks, offering a potentially low-cost biological alternative to conventional chemical removal methods.
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Researchers investigated how micro- and nanoplastic exposure affects earthworms in soil systems, examining toxicity mechanisms and interactions with co-occurring heavy metals and other contaminants. The findings indicate that MNP contamination can impair soil productivity and earthworm health, threatening the foundation of terrestrial food webs.
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Researchers examine how microorganisms degrade common microplastic polymers including polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, and PET, reviewing the enzymatic and metabolic pathways bacteria and fungi use to break down these persistent materials and the potential for harnessing microbial activity as a biodegradation strategy.
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Microbial biodegradation offers a promising approach to breaking down the growing tide of macroplastic waste entering ocean environments, with certain microorganisms capable of enzymatically depolymerizing synthetic polymers. Understanding and harnessing these microbial pathways is critical for reducing the downstream fragmentation of plastics into microplastics that contaminate marine food webs.
Microbial Biodegradation of Plastics and Microplastics: Recent Development
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Researchers reviewed recent advances in microbial biodegradation of plastics and microplastics, identifying key bacterial and fungal species capable of breaking down synthetic polymers and highlighting the biological mechanisms that could underpin scalable plastic waste remediation strategies.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.