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Evaluation of Red Palm Weevils (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus: Curculionidae) for Putative Oxidation of Ingested Polystyrene and Polyurethane and Their Gut Microbiota Response
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This study found that red palm weevil larvae can survive and partially degrade both polystyrene and polyurethane plastics over 15 days, with plastic feeding enriching gut bacteria from Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla, suggesting these insects and their microbiome may have potential applications in plastic waste biodegradation.
This study assessed the growth performance of red palm weevil (RPW) (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus: Curculionidae) larvae on a liquid diet of yeast-enriched potato dextrose broth (control) and on diets with added polystyrene and polyurethane. For 15 days of diet exposure, the growth and survival, plastic degradation, and gut microbiota of larvae were examined. RPWs showed higher survival rates under polystyrene and polyurethane treatments than in the control group. Head diameter showed a higher trend under polyurethane treatment than under the other treatments. Treated plastics were partly degraded after a 15-day exposure. Further analysis of plastic residues from frass revealed significant differences in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), with decreased intensity of characteristic peaks compared to frass from larvae fed in the control. Gut bacterial communities in the gut of RPW larvae showed that plastic feeding did not significantly alter the presence of key microbial taxa, but members of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were higher in the plastic treatment, showing preliminary signs of plastic oxidation and degradation. Overall, these findings provide evidence that ingestion of PS and PU by RPW larvae supports their survival and alters their gut microbiota, possibly due to plastic degradation, paving the way for further research into the interactions between RPWs, their microbiome, and key functional activities, with implications for plastic waste management and recycling.
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Polystyrene degradation by bacteria isolated from the larvae of Rhynchophorusphoenicis
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Researchers investigated the polystyrene (PS) biodegradation capability of bacteria isolated from the gut of African palm weevil larvae (Rhynchophorus phoenicis), feeding 100 larvae on PS foam for 21 days and then screening gut bacterial isolates for degradation activity in flask-based assays. The study identified PS-degrading bacterial strains from R. phoenicis gut contents, expanding the known range of insect species whose gut microbiota can break down synthetic plastics.
Microbiological and Physicochemical Approach in the Feeding of Superworm (Zophobas morio) with Petroleum-Derived Polymer Diets
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Researchers demonstrated that Zophobas morio (superworm) larvae can survive on diets of petroleum-derived plastics including polystyrene, polyethylene, polyisoprene, and butyl rubber, consuming 54% of polystyrene mass over 30 days, with gut bacteria identified as key contributors to polymer breakdown through changes in frass chemistry detected by FTIR and SEM analysis.
Microbiological and Physicochemical Characterization in the Feeding of Superworm (Zophobas morio) with Petroleum-Derived Polymer Diets.
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Researchers found that Zophobas morio (superworm) larvae can consume and partially biodegrade petroleum-derived polymers including polystyrene, polyethylene, polyisoprene, and butyl rubber, with gut bacteria identified that break down these plastics, and frass analysis confirming chemical modification of the polymer structures.
Chemical characterization and gut microbial response unveil modification of polystyrene polymer in the lesser mealworm
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Chemical analysis confirmed that polystyrene undergoes measurable structural modification during gut transit in lesser mealworm larvae, with GC-MS identifying degradation byproducts not present in controls, and metagenomics revealing corresponding shifts in gut microbial communities. This provides mechanistic evidence for insect-based biological degradation of polystyrene, a major contributor to environmental microplastic pollution.
Gut Microbiome and Degradation Product Formation during Biodegradation of Expanded Polystyrene by Mealworm Larvae under Different Feeding Strategies
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Researchers found that mealworm larvae successfully degrade polystyrene under different feeding strategies, with gut microbiome composition and degradation byproduct profiles varying by diet, demonstrating that diet manipulation can optimize the biological plastic-degradation capacity of the mealworm system.
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