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Mitigation effects of short-chain fatty acids on microplastic accumulation in plastic-degrading Zophobas morio larvae and mechanistic insights
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Zophobas morio larvae can feed on polystyrene foam, and this study confirmed that microplastics accumulate in their gut, fat body and Malpighian tubules afterward. Larvae whose feed was supplemented with short-chain fatty acids had less microplastic in those tissues, and the polystyrene they digested was broken into shorter chains.
Zophobas morio larvae can actively feed on and digest plastic foam. However, concerns remain about potential microplastic residues in the larvae after plastic degradation, which limited their safe and sustainable use. This study confirmed the accumulation of microplastics in larvae after plastic degradation, and investigates the effects and molecular mechanisms of supplemented short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on this process. Py-GCMS analysis suggested that SCFAs significantly inhibited the microplastics accumulation in the gut, fat body and Malpighian tubules of plastic-degrading larvae. Compared with feeding on pure polystyrene, supplementation with SCFAs led to an additional decrease of 3.8 kDa in the number-average molecular weight and 76 kDa in the weight-average molecular weight of polystyrene after larval digestion. Moreover, SCFAs improved fecal morphology in plastic-fed larvae, which was beneficial to intestinal emptying and slowed down the microplastics accumulation in the gut. Moreover, SCFAs mitigated gut damage to protect the intestinal barrier, which suppressing microplastic translocation to other tissues. Specifically, SCFAs protected gut by inhibiting gut pathogenic bacteria and increasing gut immune substances including 11-Deoxy prostaglandin F1β, Prostaglandin K2, and PG(PGF1α/i-21:0). Moreover, SCFAs significantly upregulated genes associated with oxidative stress response and membrane repair and reversed the suppression of C2H2-type domain-containing protein and GH18 domain-containing protein expression caused by plastic ingestion in gut of larvae. This study reveals the risks of microplastic accumulation and transmission in insects during plastic degradation, proposes feasible avoidance strategies, and provides a potential solution for ensuring the safety of the economical reuse of insect larvae after plastic degradation.
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Researchers isolated bacteria from the gut of Zophobas morio larvae fed polystyrene, identifying microbial communities that can survive on and potentially degrade styrofoam, offering candidates for bioremediation of difficult-to-recycle plastic waste.
Biodegradation of polystyrene microplastics by superworms (larve of Zophobas atratus): Gut microbiota transition, and putative metabolic ways
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Researchers fed polystyrene microplastics to superworms (Zophobas atratus larvae) and found reduced survival and weight, along with major shifts in gut microbial communities including an increase in Hafnia-Obesumbacterium. Metabolomic analysis identified three metabolic pathways through which superworm gut microbes break down polystyrene.
Complete digestion/biodegradation of polystyrene microplastics by greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae: Direct in vivo evidence, gut microbiota independence, and potential metabolic pathways
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Researchers provided direct in vivo evidence that greater wax moth larvae can completely digest polystyrene microplastics, demonstrating that biodegradation occurs independently of gut microbiota and identifying potential metabolic pathways involved in the breakdown process.
Generation and Fate of Nanoplastics in the Intestine of Plastic-Degrading Insect (Tenebrio molitor Larvae) during Polystyrene Microplastic Biodegradation
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Researchers tracked what happens to nanoplastics inside mealworm larvae as they digest polystyrene microplastics. They found that nanoplastics were generated during digestion and initially accumulated in gut tissues and glands, but concentrations declined over four weeks and eventually fell below detection limits, suggesting the larvae and their gut microbes can work together to break down even these tiny plastic particles.
Biodegradation of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating Tenebrionidae Larvae
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Researchers tested the ability of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and superworm (Zophobas morio) larvae to biodegrade polystyrene foam through feeding experiments with different dietary conditions. They found that both species could consume and break down polystyrene, with gut microorganisms playing a key role in the degradation process. The study suggests that insect-based biodegradation could offer a biological approach to addressing polystyrene waste in the environment.
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