Enhanced Bioavailability and Microbial Biodegradation of Polystyrene in an Enrichment Derived from the Gut Microbiome of <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> (Mealworm Larvae)
Anja Malawi Brandon, Alexa Garcia, Nikita A. Khlystov, Wei‐Min Wu, Craig S. Criddle
Abstract
. Our results demonstrate that both the mealworm itself and its gut microbiome contribute to accelerated plastic biodegradation. This work provides new insights into insect-mediated mechanisms of plastic degradation and potential strategies for cultivation of plastic-degrading microorganisms in future investigations and scale-up.
Topics & Concepts
MealwormMicrobiomeBiodegradationBiologyMicroplasticsMicrobiologyMicroorganismBacteriaLarvaEcologyBioinformaticsGeneticsMicroplastics and Plastic PollutionPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsInsect symbiosis and bacterial influences