Plastics are inexpensive, strong, and versatile but persist in the environment and fragment into harmful microplastics. Polyethylene is the most widely produced plastic, with over 100 million tons distributed annually and decomposition that can take decades. Wax moth larvae (wax worms) spontaneously feed on polyethylene and can break down a polyethylene bag rapidly; around 2,000 larvae can degrade an entire bag within 24 hours, with feeding stimulants reducing required numbers. Experimental work traced degradation to the worms' digestive processes: polyethylene consumption produced liquefied feces containing glycol. Suppression of intestinal bacteria with antibiotics reduces polyethylene breakdown and glycol production.
Plastics that support modern life are inexpensive, strong, and versatile, but are difficult to dispose of and have a serious impact when released into the environment. Polyethylene, in particular, is the most widely produced plastic in the world, with more than 100 million tons distributed annually. Since it can take decades to decompose-and along the way can harm wildlife and degrade into harmful microplastics -its disposal is an urgent issue for mankind.
In 2017, European researchers discovered a potential solution. The larvae of wax moths, commonly known as wax worms, have the ability to break down polyethylene in their bodies. Wax worms have been considered a pest since ancient times because they parasitize beehives, feeding on beeswax. However, we now know that they also spontaneously feed on polyethylene, which has a chemically similar structure.
"Around 2,000 wax worms can break down an entire polyethylene bag in as little as 24 hours, although we believe that co-supplementation with feeding stimulants like sugars can reduce the number of worms considerably," said Dr Bryan Cassone, a professor of biology at Brandon University in Canada, in a news release. Cassone and his team have been researching how these insects could be harnessed to help combat plastic pollution.
In previous experiments, Cassone and his team found out exactly how wax worms break down polyethylene. To understand their digestive mechanism, Cassone's team fed polyethylene to wax worms for several days and followed the insects' metabolic processes and changes in their gut environment. They found that as the wax worms ate the polyethylene, their feces liquefied and contained glycol as a byproduct.
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