Biodegradation and Mineralization of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating Mealworms: Part 1. Chemical and Physical Characterization and Isotopic Tests
Beihang University · Stanford University · +1 more institution
Abstract
Polystyrene (PS) is generally considered to be durable and resistant to biodegradation. Mealworms (the larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus) from different sources chew and eat Styrofoam, a common PS product. The Styrofoam was efficiently degraded in the larval gut within a retention time of less than 24 h. Fed with Styrofoam as the sole diet, the larvae lived as well as those fed with a normal diet (bran) over a period of 1 month. The analysis of fecula egested from Styrofoam-feeding larvae, using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), solid-state (13)C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS NMR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric Fourier transform infrared (TG-FTIR)…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 9.27
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 22
Authors
8Topics & keywords
- Biodegradation
- Gel permeation chromatography
- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
- Chemistry
- Polystyrene
- Magic angle spinning
- Depolymerization
- Thermogravimetric analysis