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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Isolation of Plastic Digesting Microbes from the Gastrointestinal Tract of Tenebrio Molitor
ClearTenebrio molitor: possible source of polystyrene-degrading bacteria
Researchers identified that Klebsiella oxytoca bacteria, found in the gut of mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor), may be key players in breaking down polystyrene plastic, pointing to insects as a potential source of microbe-based plastic biodegradation solutions.
Feeding and metabolism effects of three common microplastics on Tenebrio molitor L.
Mealworm larvae from three Chinese regions were fed microplastics (polystyrene, PVC, and LDPE) and were found to actually break down some of the plastic in their gut. The ability of mealworms to partially degrade certain plastics makes them a potential tool for biological plastic waste management.
Biodegradation of Different Types of Plastics by Tenebrio molitor Insect
This study reviewed the potential of mealworm beetle larvae (Tenebrio molitor) to biodegrade multiple plastic types through gut microbiota activity, finding that the larvae could break down various polymers including polystyrene and polyethylene, making entomoremediation a promising avenue for plastic waste reduction.
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.
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.
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.
Responses of gut microbiomes to commercial polyester polymer biodegradation in Tenebrio molitor Larvae
Researchers demonstrated that mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) can rapidly biodegrade commercial polyethylene terephthalate microplastics, with gut microbiome analysis revealing specific bacterial communities that shift in response to PET consumption and enable its breakdown.
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.
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.
Biodegradation of Post-Consumer Expanded Polystyrene and Low-Density Polyethylene by Tenebrio molitor Larvae
Scientists found that mealworms (beetle larvae) can actually break down used plastic bags and foam containers by eating them and changing their chemical structure. The mealworms produce waste that contains smaller plastic pieces and chemical compounds, which could potentially reduce plastic pollution in the environment. This research is important because it shows a natural way to help deal with the massive amounts of plastic waste that currently pile up in landfills and oceans.
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.
Biodegradation of various grades of polyethylene microplastics by Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus larvae: Effects on their physiology
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.
Biodegradation of aged polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics by yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae)
Yellow mealworm larvae were able to consume and biodegrade both fresh and aged polyethylene film and polystyrene foam over a 35-day period. While aged plastics slightly slowed larval growth, the worms still broke down the plastic with help from their gut bacteria, confirmed by chemical analysis showing structural changes in the consumed plastic. This biological approach to plastic degradation could help reduce the amount of plastic waste that eventually breaks down into microplastics in the environment.
Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm's guts: A potential for soil restoration
Researchers isolated bacteria from earthworm guts that were able to degrade low-density polyethylene, demonstrating that intestinal microbes from soil invertebrates may play a role in plastic breakdown. The findings suggest that earthworm gut microbiomes are a reservoir of plastic-degrading bacteria with potential applications for bioremediation of LDPE-contaminated soils.
Mitigation of Soil Pollution by Biodegradation of Plastic Materials through Activity of Mealworms
This review examines how mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) can biodegrade plastics including polystyrene and polyethylene, and discusses their use in circular production systems. Insect-based plastic biodegradation represents a promising biological approach to reducing plastic waste before it fragments into microplastics in the environment.
Generation and Fate of Nanoplastics in the Intestine of Plastic-Degrading Insect (Tenebrio molitor Larvae) during Polystyrene Microplastic Biodegradation
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.
The Digestive Master of the Insect World: The Digestive System and Application Value of Mealworms
This review examines the digestive system of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), highlighting their remarkable capacity to break down complex substrates including plastics and lignocellulosic materials, and discusses the microbial mechanisms and potential biotechnological applications of their digestive capabilities for waste degradation.
Changes in Intestinal Microbiota Due to the Expanded Polystyrene Diet of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)
Researchers found that mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) fed expanded polystyrene (EPS) showed significant changes in intestinal microbiota composition compared to controls, suggesting gut microbiome shifts accompany the biological degradation of polystyrene microplastics.
Polystyrene microplastics biodegradation by gut bacterial Enterobacter hormaechei from mealworms under anaerobic conditions: Anaerobic oxidation and depolymerization
Researchers discovered that the gut bacterium Enterobacter hormaechei from mealworms can oxidize and depolymerize polystyrene microplastics under anaerobic conditions, offering a potential biological approach to plastic waste degradation.
Microplastics occurrence, detection and removal with emphasis on insect larvae gut microbiota
This review covers the sources, detection methods, and toxic effects of microplastics across ecosystems, with a special focus on insect larvae gut microbiota as a biological degradation tool. Researchers found that certain insect larvae, such as mealworms and waxworms, harbor gut bacteria capable of breaking down plastic polymers. The study highlights biological degradation by insect-associated microbes as a promising avenue for microplastic remediation.
Effects of plastic aging on biodegradation of polystyrene by Tenebrio molitor larvae: Insights into gut microbiome and bacterial metabolism
Researchers showed that UV and freeze-thaw pretreatment of polystyrene microplastics modestly improved biodegradation by mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor), but more notably reshaped the larvae's gut microbial communities and associated metabolic gene profiles, suggesting that plastic aging mainly affects how the gut microbiome adapts rather than dramatically changing degradation rates.
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.
Isolation of culturable bacteria from gut of Zophobasmorio fed with polystyrene
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.
Plastic Biodegradation through Insects and their Symbionts Microbes: A Review
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.