Researchers from the University of Queensland, located in Australia, have discovered the species superworm capable of consuming and digesting polystyreneor more simply, for those who don’t, they can feed on polystyrene, one of the most widely used plastics in the world.
If we dive into the details of this finding, a species of superworm capable of digesting polystyrene is Zophobas morio larva, beetle from the family Tenebrioniidae. Researchers at the University of Queensland have found that this larva can digest polystyrene due to a bacterial enzyme present in its gut.
For their discovery, the researchers fed different groups of superworms with different diets for three weeks. The polystyrene-fed group not only survived what would be biodiversity for most, but it was also seen that it had gained some weight.
When the scientists saw the result, they said so “It simply came to our notice then worms can get energy from polystyrenemost likely with the help of your gut microbes. “. They succeeded through a technique called metagenomics find various enzymes by which the worms were able to break down polystyrene and styrene in their intestines. This makes the larva of the Zophobas morio species “Mini recycling plant” according to Dr. Chris Rinke, the team leader after the discovery. “The decomposition products of this reaction can be used by other microbes to form high-value compounds such as bioplastics.”.
At this point, there is no need for a genius to imagine that this discovery opens the door to a possible solution to the world’s plastics problem that is flooding the planet. Plastics have become a threat to the environment and to many species that will repel us in the wrong sense in the long run.
Having regard to the findings of researchers from the University of Queensland, long goal “Is to design enzymes for the degradation of plastic waste in recycling plants by mechanical milling followed by enzymatic biodegradation”although to get to that point, we still have to figure out how “Improve this process to the level required for a complete recycling plant”.
In short, the superworm, or more precisely the larva of the Zophobas morio beetle, has opened the door to hope for the proper handling of the plastics we humans create, which gradually worsen the natural environment and decimate species. In the face of these findings, of course, caution must be exercised, because it remains to be seen whether the biodegradation process that can be discovered can be carried out on a large scale, and we must add economic interests that are not always in line with environmental protection or at least limit its deterioration.
And even if this biodegradation process is to be carried out on a large scale, it should not reduce practices such as maximum reuse and recycling in order to minimize waste.
Title image: Wikipedia
