Biodegradation and Mineralization of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating Mealworms: Part 2. Role of Gut Microorganisms
Stanford University · BGI Group (China)
Abstract
The role of gut bacteria of mealworms (the larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus) in polystyrene (PS) degradation was investigated. Gentamicin was the most effective inhibitor of gut bacteria among six antibiotics tested. Gut bacterial activities were essentially suppressed by feeding gentamicin food (30 mg/g) for 10 days. Gentamicin-feeding mealworms lost the ability to depolymerize PS and mineralize PS into CO2, as determined by characterizing worm fecula and feeding with (13)C-labeled PS. A PS-degrading bacterial strain was isolated from the guts of the mealworms, Exiguobacterium sp. strain YT2, which could form biofilm on PS film over a 28 day incubation period and made obvious pits and cavities (0.2-0.3 mm…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 9.27
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 26
Authors
8Topics & keywords
- Biodegradation
- Microorganism
- Mineralization (soil science)
- Microplastics
- Biofilm
- Microbiology
- Food science
- Chemistry
- Clean water and sanitation