Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Polystyrene shaping effect on the enriched bacterial community from the plastic-eating Alphitobius diaperinus (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Researchers enriched and identified bacteria from the gut of polystyrene-fed lesser mealworm beetles, isolating Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas species that attached to plastic surfaces, confirming these microbes as promising candidates for breaking down polystyrene waste.

2022 Symbiosis 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation of Plastic Digesting Microbes from the Gastrointestinal Tract of Tenebrio Molitor

Researchers isolated bacteria from the gut of Tenebrio molitor mealworm larvae that are capable of degrading polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics. The identified gut microbes showed plastic-degrading enzymatic activity, suggesting potential for bioremediation applications.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of polystyrene microplastics by superworms (larve of Zophobas atratus): Gut microbiota transition, and putative metabolic ways

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.

2023 Chemosphere 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut Microbiome and Degradation Product Formation during Biodegradation of Expanded Polystyrene by Mealworm Larvae under Different Feeding Strategies

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.

2021 Molecules 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating Tenebrionidae Larvae

Researchers examined the biodegradation of polystyrene by Tenebrionidae beetle larvae, testing the ability of plastic-eating mealworm larvae to break down the highly stable, hydrophobic polymer. The study characterized polymer molecular weight changes, gut microbiome contributions, and metabolic byproducts, demonstrating that larval gut bacteria play a key role in PS depolymerization.

2024 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Optimizing polystyrene degradation, microbial community and metabolite analysis of intestinal flora of yellow mealworms, Tenebrio molitor.

Yellow mealworm larvae fed only expanded polystyrene were found to biodegrade the plastic, with the efficiency depending on temperature and humidity conditions. The gut microbiome of the larvae played a key role, and researchers identified metabolic pathways involved in polystyrene breakdown, advancing understanding of insect-based plastic biodegradation.

2024 Bioresource technology
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating Tenebrionidae Larvae

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.

2024 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Pemanfaatan Larva Ulat Jerman (Zophobas morio) sebagai Agen Biodegradasi Stirofoam yang Ramah Lingkungan

This Indonesian study examined whether larvae of the Zophobas morio beetle can biodegrade styrofoam (expanded polystyrene), one of the most persistent plastics contributing to microplastic pollution. The larvae were able to consume and partially break down the styrofoam, suggesting a potential low-cost biological approach for plastic waste degradation.

2023 Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan
Article Tier 2

Complete digestion/biodegradation of polystyrene microplastics by greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae: Direct in vivo evidence, gut microbiota independence, and potential metabolic pathways

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.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Diversity and community composition of strictly anaerobic and culturable bacteria from the feces of Styrofoam-fed Tenebrio molitor larvae: a culturomics-based study

Researchers used a culturomics-based approach to characterize the diversity and community composition of strictly anaerobic culturable bacteria from the feces of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) larvae fed on Styrofoam, identifying 24 genera not detected by amplicon sequencing methods. The study suggests this cultured bacterial collection could serve as a resource for investigating plastic biodegradation by specific microbial strains or strain combinations.

2023 Frontiers in Microbiology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene degradation by bacteria isolated from the larvae of Rhynchophorusphoenicis

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.

2024 Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Polystyrene by Tenebrio molitor, Galleria mellonella, and Zophobas atratus Larvae and Comparison of Their Degradation Effects

Researchers compared polystyrene biodegradation by three insect larvae species, finding that superworms consumed the most plastic and converted it most efficiently into low-molecular-weight substances, while all three species harbored gut bacteria from the genera Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae that appear to drive the degradation process.

2021 Polymers 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Examining the potential of plastic-fed black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) as "bioincubators" of plastic-degrading bacteria.

Researchers examined whether black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) fed on plastic waste can serve as 'bioincubators' for plastic-degrading bacteria, investigating how gut microbiota shifts in response to plastic-containing diets and whether these bacteria retain degradation activity.

2025 Journal of applied microbiology
Article Tier 2

Understanding the Ecological Robustness and Adaptability of the Gut Microbiome in Plastic-Degrading Superworms (Zophobas atratus) in Response to Microplastics and Antibiotics

Researchers studied superworms (Zophobas atratus larvae) that can eat and break down five major types of plastic, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. They found that the gut microbiome of these insects adapted to digest different plastics even when challenged with antibiotics, suggesting the larvae and their gut bacteria work together in a robust system that could inform future plastic biodegradation strategies.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiome of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor Larvae) show similar responses to polystyrene and corn straw diets

Researchers compared the gut microbiomes of mealworms fed polystyrene plastic versus corn straw and found strikingly similar microbial community responses to both diets. The findings suggest that the ability of mealworm larvae to break down plastics likely evolved from ancient biological mechanisms originally designed to digest natural plant fibers like lignocellulose. The study points to mealworm gut bacteria as a potential resource for developing biological plastic degradation strategies.

2023 Microbiome 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigation effects of short-chain fatty acids on microplastic accumulation in plastic-degrading Zophobas morio larvae and mechanistic insights

Mealworm-like Zophobas morio beetle larvae can eat and partially digest polystyrene foam, but this study found that microplastic fragments accumulate in their gut, fat body, and excretory organs after plastic ingestion. Supplementing the larvae's diet with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) significantly reduced microplastic buildup by improving gut function, strengthening the intestinal barrier to block particle translocation, and increasing breakdown of the polystyrene itself. This matters for food safety because insect larvae are increasingly used as animal feed, and ensuring that plastic-degrading larvae do not carry microplastics into the food chain is essential before such bioconversion systems can be widely adopted.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

A novel Gordonia sp. PS3 isolated from the gut of Galleria mellonella larvae: Mechanism of polystyrene biodegradation and environmental toxicological evaluation

Researchers isolated a new bacterial strain, Gordonia sp. PS3, from the gut of wax moth larvae that can break down polystyrene microplastics with about a 34 percent degradation rate over 40 days. They identified specific enzymes responsible for the breakdown and confirmed the process produces non-toxic byproducts. The discovery points to a promising biological approach for addressing polystyrene plastic pollution in the environment.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitogenomic profiling and gut microbial analysis of the newly identified polystyrene-consuming lesser mealworm in Kenya

Researchers identified a lesser mealworm species in Kenya capable of consuming and surviving on polystyrene plastic, while also characterizing the gut bacteria — including Kluyvera and Enterobacter — likely responsible for plastic breakdown. This is the first report of plastic-degrading lesser mealworms from Africa and points toward insect-based bioremediation as a promising tool for plastic waste management.

2024 Scientific Reports 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics shape the black soldier fly larvae gut microbiome and select for biodegrading functions

Researchers found that black soldier fly larvae can adapt their gut microbiome to digest a wide range of plastics, shifting their microbial communities to favor biodegrading functions. This suggests the insects could serve as living incubators for discovering new plastic-breaking enzymes for industrial cleanup applications.

2023 Microbiome 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene-degrading bacteria in the gut microbiome of marine benthic polychaetes support enhanced digestion of plastic fragments

Researchers found that marine worms called clamworms harbor gut bacteria capable of breaking down polystyrene foam, but this digestion also generates microplastics averaging 0.6 mm in diameter, meaning these worms both degrade and produce microplastics — complicating their role in marine plastic pollution.

2024 Communications Earth & Environment 29 citations