The Zophobas morio ‘superworm’ can eat through polystyrene
A species of worm with an appetite for polystyrene could be the key to plastic recycling on a mass scale.
Researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered the common Zophobas morio ‘superworm’ can eat through polystyrene, thanks to a bacterial enzyme in their gut.
Dr Chris Rinke and his team from UQ’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences fed superworms different diets over a three week period, with some given polystyrene foam, some bran and others put on a fasting diet.
“We found the superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” Dr Rinke said.
“This suggests the worms can derive energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their gut microbes.”
The researchers used a technique called metagenomics to find several encoded enzymes with the ability to degrade polystyrene and styrene.
The long-term goal is to engineer enzymes to degrade plastic waste in recycling plants through mechanical shredding, followed by enzymatic biodegradation.
“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, shredding the polystyrene with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their gut,” Dr Rinke said.
“The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value compounds such as bioplastics.”
It’s hoped this bio-upcycling will incentivise plastic waste recycling and reduce landfill.
Co-author of the research, PhD candidate Jiarui Sun, said they aim to grow the gut bacteria in the lab and further test its ability to degrade polystyrene.
“We can then look into how we can upscale this process to a level required for an entire recycling plant,” Ms Sun said.
Dr Rinke said there are many opportunities for the biodegradation of plastic waste.
“Our team is very excited to push the science to make it happen,” he said.
Original Article: Superworms capable of munching through plastic waste
More from: University of Queensland
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Enzymatic biodegradation
- Structural biology—plastic degradation by using wax worm saliva
Plastic waste management is a pressing ecological, social, and economic challenge that has looked to diverse chemical-biology strategies to facilitate biodegradation. In a new report now on Science ...
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in African-American Patients With Hypertension
While ACE inhibitors and ARBs have been studied separately in African Americans, [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13] comparative studies are scarce. Furthermore, it is not known whether these patients who do ...
- Carbios Taps Novozymes for Enzymes to Power Biorecycling
In addition to its PET-biorecycling technology, Carbios has developed an enzymatic biodegradation approach for polylactic acid (PLA) that is based on single-use plastics. This technology supports ...
- Transglutaminase Original Enzyme Market Size, Trends & Opportunities, 2023 -2030
The Global Transglutaminase Original Enzyme Market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2031. In 2021, the market is growing at a steady rate ...
- Enzyme Modified Dairy and Cheese Ingredients Market Size, Regional Status and Outlook 2023-2031
The Enzyme Modified Dairy and Cheese Ingredients Market Insights of 2023 is an extensive and comprehensive report that provides a complete analysis of the market's size, shares, revenues ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Enzymatic biodegradation
[google_news title=”” keyword=”enzymatic biodegradation” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Biodegradation of plastic waste
- Structural biology—plastic degradation by using wax worm saliva
Plastic waste management is a pressing ecological, social, and economic challenge that has looked to diverse chemical-biology strategies to facilitate biodegradation. In a new report now on Science ...
- Genetically engineered, plastic-eating bacteria can give waste a new life
A group of synthetic bacteria that can efficiently turn plastic waste into useful chemicals is presented in Nature Communications. These bacteria could help to tackle the growing problem of plastic ...
- Which Is Better for the Environment — Biodegradable or Recyclable Plastic?
The reports rightly point out that there has been an increased focus on biodegradable plastics as a potential solution to the proliferation of plastic waste. Despite promises that biodegradable ...
- Experts claim oxo-biodegradation reduces plastic pollution
The president of the Round Table of the Commonwealth Countries in the Dominican Republic, Fernando González Nicolás, has called upon both the public and private sectors to embrace new technologies to ...
- Nature's Cleanup Crew: How Living Organisms Are Tackling Plastic Pollution
Discover the incredible role played by various living organisms in combating plastic pollution. From microbes to marine life, learn how nature's cleanup crews are working tirelessly to protect our ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Biodegradation of plastic waste
[google_news title=”” keyword=”biodegradation of plastic waste” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
