Confirmation of biodegradation of low-density polyethylene in dark- versus yellow- mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio obscurus versus Tenebrio molitor) via. gut microbe-independent depolymerization

Yang, Shan-Shan; Ding, Mengqi; Zhang, Zhirong; Ding, Jie; Bai, Shunwen; Cao, Guangwen; Zhao, Lei; Pang, Ji-Wei; Xing, Defeng; Ren, Nan-Qi; Wu, Wei‐Min

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147915

Cited by 53 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…However, despite the numerous reports appeared lately about microbe species being potentially responsible for insect-driven plastic biodegradation, no consensus on specific species or genera of bacteria/fungi colonizing the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera gut and involved in plastic degradation has been reached [26–28, 30, 31, 34–38, 44]. Indeed, the exclusive involvement of microorganisms in this process has been recently questioned [32, 49]. As for Galleria , the fast degradation makes it improbable for the gut microbiota to be the sole player in the observed modification of PE chemical structure, as already suggested [32].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wax worm saliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation by Galleria mellonella

Sanluis-Verdes

Colomer-Vidal

Rodríguez-Ventura

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Plastic degradation by biological systems with re-utilization of the by-products can be the future solution to the global threat of plastic waste accumulation. We report that the saliva of Galleria mellonella larvae (wax worms) is capable of oxidizing and depolymerizing polyethylene (PE), one of the most produced and sturdy polyolefin-derived plastics. This effect is achieved after a few hours' exposure at room temperature and physiological conditions (neutral pH). The wax worm saliva can indeed overcome the bottleneck step in PE biodegradation, that is the initial oxidation step. Within the saliva, we identified two enzymes that can reproduce the same effect. This is the first report of enzymes with this capability, opening up the way to new ground-breaking solutions for plastic waste management through bio-recycling/up-cycling.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wax worm saliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation by Galleria mellonella

Sanluis-Verdes

Colomer-Vidal

Rodríguez-Ventura

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…Recently there has been quite some attention to mealworms being able to degrade plastics. Gut microbes may facilitate the conversion of plastics such as polystyrene by mealworm species, such as T. molitor, Tenebrio obscurus, and Z. morio, but also by H. illucens (Kuan et al 2022;Lou et al 2021;Yang et al 2021). The capacity to degrade polystyrene also depend on the yellow mealworm strain used (Yang et al 2018).…”

Section: Cheap Substratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2021; Yang et al . 2021). The capacity to degrade polystyrene also depend on the yellow mealworm strain used (Yang et al .…”

Section: Choosing Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Edible insects: Challenges and prospects

Huis

2022

Entomological Research

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An overview is given on recent developments in insects as food and food by reviewing the literature which has appeared during the last few years on edible insects. An outlook to the future is provided. About a decade ago, the attention shifted from harvesting insects in the tropics to farming insects all over the world for food and feed applications. Most production is targeted towards pet food, but it will turn to aquafeed in the next two decades. More than 80% of all publications dealing with edible insects appeared during the last five years. Crickets and mealworms are used for human food while the black soldier fly is the main species used as animal feed. The criteria to choose insect species are automation, cheap substrates, disease avoidance, and market potential. Genetics are increasingly explored to improve production. The environmental impact of producing insects compares well to other alternative proteins, in particular their capacity to degrade organic waste streams. Edible insects are not only a good source of nutrients but also seem to provide health benefits not only for humans and animals, but also for plants (left over substrate). The challenge of convincing Western consumers is reviewed and whether sustainability is an issue. Processing techniques are being developed. The sector of insects as food and feed is developing fast thanks to an increasingly conducive legislative framework. It will progress further, provided that the insect industry, academia, governmental organizations, and public society closely cooperate.

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“…According to reports, the global annual cumulative production reaches 200 billion tons [4][5][6]. Some studies find that mealworms are capable of digesting lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose in rice straw, corn straw, wheat straw, and bran [7,8]. Therefore, the conversion of lignocellulose into clean energy substances, such as hydrogen, ethanol, and butanol, through biotechnology could effectively reduce CO 2 emission and synergistically solve environmental and energy problems by ecological means [9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on the Sugar-Producing Effect of High-Temperature Anaerobic Straw Biosaccharification Strain

Ding

Cui

et al. 2022

Water

Self Cite

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The utilization of straw waste cellulose will be beneficial by economic, social, and environmental means. The present study sought to screen the high-efficiency cellulose sugar-producing strain from corn straw. The 16S high-throughput sequencing method and the combination of morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of the strain confirmed the strain to be Clostridium thermocellum, which was named Clostridium thermocellum FC811. Moreover, the single factor experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of environmental factors on saccharification efficiency. The optimal saccharification conditions of cellulose saccharification of FC811 strain selected through response surface analysis were as follows: temperature of 58.9 °C, pH of 7.21, culture time of 6.60 d, substrate concentration of 5.01 g/L, and yeast powder concentration of 2.15 g/L. The soluble sugar yield was 3.11 g/L, and the conversion rate of reducing sugar was 62.2%. This study will provide a reference for resource and energy utilization of straw materials, simultaneous fermentation of sugar and hydrogen production, and their large-scale production and application.

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Confirmation of biodegradation of low-density polyethylene in dark- versus yellow- mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio obscurus versus Tenebrio molitor) via. gut microbe-independent depolymerization

Cited by 53 publications

References 46 publications

Wax worm saliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation by Galleria mellonella

Wax worm saliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation by Galleria mellonella

Edible insects: Challenges and prospects

Study on the Sugar-Producing Effect of High-Temperature Anaerobic Straw Biosaccharification Strain

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