Biodegradation of Different Types of Plastics by Tenebrio molitor Insect.

Piotr Bulak,Anna Pytlak,Andrzej Puszka,Andrzej Bieganowski,Barbara Gawdzik,Kinga Proc

doi:10.3390/polym13203508

Abstract

Looking for new, sustainable ways to utilize plastics is still a very pertinent topic considering the amount of plastics produced in the world. One of the newest and intriguing possibility is the use of insects in biodegradation of plastics, which can be named entomoremediation. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the ability of the insect Tenebrio molitor to biodegrade different, real plastic waste. The types of plastic waste used were: remains of thermal building insulation polystyrene foam (PS), two types of polyurethane (kitchen sponge as PU1 and commercial thermal insulation foam as PU2), and polyethylene foam (PE), which has been used as packaging material. After 58 days, the efficiency of mass reduction for all of the investigated plastics was 46.5%, 41.0%, 53.2%, and 69.7% for PS, PU1, PU2, and PE, respectively (with a dose of 0.0052 g of each plastic per 1 mealworm larvae). Both larvae and imago were active plastic eaters. However, in order to shorten the duration of the experiment and increase the specific consumption rate, the two forms of the insect should not be combined together in one container.

Highlights

According to available data from 2019, worldwide plastic production reached 368 Mt
Our results showed that the total amount of the plastics remnants in the mealworm frass was in the range of 31.7% to 45.4% (Table 1)
Specific consumption rates for each plastics was lower that calculated from literature data

Summary

Introduction

According to available data from 2019, worldwide plastic production reached 368 Mt (mega tons). In Europe, of the 29.1 Mt of plastic waste collected in 2018, 32.5% was recycled, 42.6% went to energy recovery, and 24.9% to landfills [1]. As compared to 2016, in 2018 the annual average for recycling and energy recovery of plastic waste increased in Europe by 5.7% and 4.8%, respectively, a significant proportion (24.9%) still end its life cycle in landfills [1]. Much of the plastic escapes waste collection systems, polluting the environment and entering the world’s oceans. E.g., in 2010, that of the 275 Mt of plastic produced, as much as 4.8 to 12.7 Mt ended up in the aquatic environment [2]. As well as the improvement of the plastic waste management methods used, have a huge impact on the environment. In order to reduce the onerous problem of plastic waste, the European Commission has presented a plan which includes, among other things, allowing only reusable or recyclable plastic on the market and recycling at least half the amount of plastic produced [3]

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Conclusion