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Expanded polystyrene and whey goat as substrates for Tenebrio molitor breeding
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Researchers evaluated expanded polystyrene and goat whey as substrates for rearing Tenebrio molitor larvae, analysing microplastic residues in the larval flour and faeces and assessing nutritional impacts of plastic consumption over a 28-day period.
The objective of this work was to evaluate expanded polystyrene [EPS] and goat whey as substrates for rearing Tenebrio molitor larvae, analyzing microplastic residues in their flour and feces, and assessing nutritional impacts. Larvaes were raised in darkness at 20 ± 1 °C for 28 days across four treatments [substrates]: wheat bran/carrot [control], EPS, EPS with whey, and bran/carrot with whey. Flours obtained were analysed: protein, fat, and ash content using Lowry, Soxhlet, and gravimetric methods, respectively. FTIR spectrometry were used to determined microplastics residues in feces and in flour. Results showed microplastics in feces, indicating incomplete EPS degradation by the larvae. The bran/carrot/whey treatment yielded the highest larval weight [77.5 ±4.94 g] and a flour yield of 32-33%w/w, while EPS groups had the lower fat content 2.65 5.24%w/w and higher ash content 8.55-10.07%w/w.
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Mealworm larvae consumed and biodegraded expanded polystyrene roughly 50 times faster than adult beetles, with pre-treating EPS with lemon-lime soda increasing biodegradation rates by 482% and supplemental spinach increasing rates by 125%. These findings advance the prospect of using insect gut bacteria as a scalable biological tool for breaking down polystyrene, one of the most persistent and environmentally prevalent microplastic precursors.
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Researchers investigated whether measurement methods could distinguish between Tenebrio molitor mealworm larvae fed plastic substrates versus conventional diets, testing larvae on flour-carrot, polystyrene foam, and mixed diets. The study sought to identify industrially viable detection approaches to verify plastic biodegradation by larvae and their gut microbiota, supporting their potential use in plastic waste management.
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Researchers conducted a laboratory experiment to determine the optimal feed composition of polystyrene foam (PSP styrofoam) combined with concentrate for Tenebrio molitor larvae, measuring survivorship, body length growth, biomass, and waste degradation rate across seven treatments with three replicates. Results showed that lower PSP ratios combined with higher concentrate proportions improved all four parameters, with 1 kg of larvae degrading 0.25 kg of styrofoam waste over 60 days.
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Researchers sourced chitin from the exoskeletons of mealworm larvae fed diets containing polystyrene or plastic kitchen wrap mixed with bran. The study found that while plastic-fed larvae produced heavier exoskeletons, no plastic residues were detected in the chitin, suggesting that mealworms can effectively degrade plastic waste while still yielding usable chitin.
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Mealworm larvae from three Chinese regions were fed microplastics (polystyrene, PVC, and LDPE) and were found to actually break down some of the plastic in their gut. The ability of mealworms to partially degrade certain plastics makes them a potential tool for biological plastic waste management.
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