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Advanced Spectroscopic and Thermoanalytical Quantification of LLDPE in Mealworm Frass: A Multitechnique Approach
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This study applied a multitechnique analytical approach including thermal decomposition-FTIR-MS, TGA under inert atmosphere, and solid-state ¹³C CP-MAS NMR with chemometric iPLS modeling to detect and quantify LLDPE in Tenebrio molitor mealworm frass. CP-MAS NMR provided the highest sensitivity, detecting polyethylene signals at concentrations as low as 0.096% w/w, supporting its application as the most robust method for quantifying plastic residues in biological matrices in insect-mediated biodegradation studies.
Plastic pollution, particularly from polyethylene-based materials, poses a major environmental challenge due to their persistence and resistance to degradation. The ingestion of plastics by insects such as Tenebrio molitor (mealworms) has attracted scientific interest as a potential biodegradation pathway. In this study, we present a multitechnique analytical approach for the detection and quantification of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) in insect frass. Frass samples artificially enriched with varying concentrations of LLDPE were analyzed using thermal decomposition coupled with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MS), thermal gravimetric analysis under inert atmosphere, and solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with cross-polarization and magic angle spinning (CP-MAS NMR). Chemometric models based on interval partial least squares (iPLS) were used to improve quantification accuracy. While thermal techniques allowed partial discrimination between frass and plastic degradation profiles, CP-MAS ¹³C NMR provided the highest sensitivity, detecting characteristic polyethylene signals at concentrations as low as 0.096% w/w. This study demonstrates the analytical robustness of CP-MAS NMR and supports its application in future biodegradation assays to quantify plastic residues in biological matrices, thereby contributing to the evaluation of insect-mediated plastic degradation.
More Papers Like This
Advanced Spectroscopic and Thermoanalytical Quantification of LLDPE in Mealworm Frass: A Multitechnique Approach
AI summary Read the abstract
This study presented the first proof-of-concept application of a multitechnique analytical framework including TGA, TGA-FTIR-MS, and solid-state ¹³C CP-MAS NMR for quantifying linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) in Tenebrio molitor mealworm frass. CP-MAS NMR provided matrix-independent quantification with a detection limit of 0.173% w/w and a quantification limit of 0.525% w/w, lying within the reported ingestion range for mealworms, establishing NMR as the most robust tool for quantifying polyethylene residues in complex biological matrices.
Possibilities for discriminating between Tenebrio molitor larvae fed with plastic and conventional substrates
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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.
Plastic biodegradation: do Galleria mellonella larvae - bio-assimilate polyethylene? A spectral histology approach using isotopic labelling and infrared microspectroscopy
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This study tested whether greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) can biodegrade polyethylene plastic by using isotopic labeling and infrared microspectroscopy to track carbon transfer from plastic to larval tissues. The results evaluate whether physical chewing by larvae constitutes true biochemical assimilation of plastic.
Unveiling Fragmentation of Plastic Particles during Biodegradation of Polystyrene and Polyethylene Foams in Mealworms: Highly Sensitive Detection and Digestive Modeling Prediction
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Researchers discovered that mealworms biodegrading polystyrene and polyethylene foams generate micro- and nanoplastic fragments during the digestion process, despite removing over 70% of the ingested plastic. The study developed a digestive biofragmentation model to predict plastic fragmentation patterns, suggesting that insect-based plastic biodegradation may create secondary contamination that warrants further assessment.
Biodegradation of various grades of polyethylene microplastics by Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus larvae: Effects on their physiology
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Mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus) were fed different grades of polyethylene plastic to test their ability to biodegrade this common plastic. Both species could consume and partially break down all three types of polyethylene, though the process caused oxidative stress and shifted their gut bacteria. This research suggests biological degradation of plastic waste is possible, which could help reduce the environmental breakdown of plastics into harmful microplastics.
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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.