The Guardian reported that new Australian research found that the larvae of the mealworm (scientific name: Zophobas morio) (also known as superworms) can tear up and eat polystyrene, and their intestines contain several enzymes that can digest polystyrene, which may become an alternative solution for decomposing and upgrading plastic waste.
Superworms fed on Styrofoam for three weeks can still complete their life cycle
Polystyrene (PS) is a widely used plastic that exists in solid form in everyday items such as containers, lids, and disposable cutlery. Expanded polystyrene is commonly known as Styrofoam.
Over three weeks, researchers at the University of Queensland fed the insects a diet of expanded polystyrene, a type of foam commonly used in building insulation.
They found that larvae fed on plastic were still able to pupate and transform into adults, completing their life cycle, but they were lighter than the bran-eating superworms and had a healthier gut microbiome.
Australia to phase out styrofoam from July; microbes expected to aid recycling
One challenge with recycling expanded polystyrene is its low density and bulk, making it uneconomical to recycle. "Mechanical recycling is not very efficient," Lin Ke says. The end products of this recycling method include items like plastic benches and picture frames.
He believes that the microorganisms in the superworm can be the basis of the plastic upcycling process, and the products of polystyrene decomposition can be used by other microorganisms to make biodegradable plastics or other compounds.
The phase-out of expanded polystyrene is part of Australia's National Plastics Plan, which will begin next month and will ban food and drink containers from containing polystyrene by December.
The study was published in the journal Microbial Genomics.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/234334)
