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Harnessing and Degradation Mechanism of Persistent Polyethylene Waste by Newly Isolated Bacteria from Waxworm and Termite Gut Symbionts
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Researchers isolated two bacterial strains from insect guts — Bacillus cereus from waxworms and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from termites — and found both could degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE), with the waxworm-derived strain achieving up to 19.8% weight loss in 45 days along with significant reductions in tensile strength and molecular weight.
Pollution from synthetic polymers, particularly low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poses a significant environmental challenge due to its chemical stability and resistance to degradation. This study investigates an eco-biotechnological approach involving bacterial strains isolated from insect guts-Bacillus cereus LDPE-DB2 (from Achroia grisella) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa LDPE-DB26 (from Coptotermes formosanus)-which demonstrate the ability to degrade LDPE, potentially through the action of lignin-modifying enzymes. These strains exhibited notable biofilm formation, enzymatic activity, and mechanical destabilization of LDPE. LDPE-DB2 exhibited higher LDPE degradation efficiency than LDPE-DB26, achieving a greater weight loss of 19.8% compared with 11.6% after 45 days. LDPE-DB2 also formed denser biofilms (maximum protein content: 68.3 ± 2.3 µg/cm2) compared with LDPE-DB26 (55.2 ± 3.1 µg/cm2), indicating stronger surface adhesion. Additionally, LDPE-DB2 reduced LDPE tensile strength (TS) by 58.3% (from 15.3 MPa to 6.4 ± 0.4 MPa), whereas LDPE-DB26 induced a 43.1% reduction (to 8.7 ± 0.23 MPa). Molecular weight analysis revealed that LDPE-DB2 caused a 14.8% decrease in weight-averaged molecular weight (Mw) and a 59.1% reduction in number-averaged molecular weight (Mn), compared with 5.8% and 32.7%, respectively, for LDPE-DB26. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analyses revealed substantial polymer chain scission and crystallinity disruption. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified environmentally benign degradation products, including alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. This study demonstrates a sustainable route to polyethylene biotransformation using insect symbionts and provides insights for scalable, green plastic waste management strategies in line with circular economy goals.
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Researchers isolated the bacterium Enterobacter sp. D1 from the gut of wax moth larvae and found it capable of biodegrading polyethylene film. After 14 days of cultivation, the bacteria formed colonies on the plastic surface and caused visible damage including roughness and cracks. The study suggests that gut bacteria from plastic-consuming insects could offer potential avenues for developing biological approaches to plastic waste management.
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Researchers identified three bacterial species—Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—from drywood termite gut microbiota and demonstrated their capacity to degrade polyethylene plastics, with Bacillus cereus achieving up to 17% weight loss of low-density polyethylene over 30 days.
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Researchers isolated Bacillus cereus bacteria from waxworm gut microbiota and demonstrated that it biodegrades polypropylene plastic in vitro by oxidizing the polymer surface to form carbonyl and hydroxyl groups, with high-temperature gel permeation chromatography confirming measurable molecular weight reduction — pointing to potential enzymes for future plastic-degradation applications.
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This review examines how insects and their gut microbes can break down plastic waste, covering species like mealworms and waxworms that can digest polyethylene and polystyrene. The bacteria living in insect guts are responsible for much of this plastic-degrading activity. Insect-based biodegradation could offer a scalable biological solution to reducing plastic pollution.
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