Bioremediation of plastics using mealworms

Check out the team presentation on Prezi.

Plastic waste poses a serious problem to the environment,as well as human and animal health. Microplastics can damage tissue and release toxic chemicals, and plastics in the ocean can kill animals, who accidentally consume or become entangled in plastic waste. Of the 6.3 billion tons of plastic produced since 1950, only 9% has been recycled and 12% has been incinerated, with the remainder ending up in landfills or the ocean. Given that plastic production is expected to quadruple by 2050, an effective and environmentally conscious way to handle our plastic waste is needed. Bioremediation is a promising solution that involves using organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, to degrade plastic. While bacterial bioremediation typically involves special bioreactors, mealworms are able to degrade polystyrene plastic at room temperature due to their microbiome. However, mealworms cannot survive on plastic alone and require an additional food source, such as cornmeal, oat bran, or wheat bran, which can alter their microbiome and the hydrolytic enzymes they produce. Our study intends to investigate how cornmeal, oat bran, and wheat bran affect the mealworm’s microbiome and ability to degrade plastic. Determining the rate of degradation for each food source and the cost will enable small-scale applications of mealworm bioremediation systems, such as in households, neighborhoods, and businesses. Having a better understanding of bioremediation applications will also allow for further research determining the public’s willingness to use bioremediation technology.