A plastic-eating insect could help solve the waste problem that has long been choking the Earth, scientists conclude in a new study. The larvae of the lesser-eating Kenyan mealworm can digest plastic, making it the only native African insect species capable of doing so, according to The New York Post. The research was published in the Nature Journal.
“By studying these natural 'plastic eaters' we hope to create new tools that help get rid of plastic waste faster and more efficiently,” says Fathiya Khamis, a senior scientist at the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology and the person behind the studying, said.
Mr Khamis and his team discovered that the worm is the pupa of an Alphitobius black beetle. It contains enzymes that can break down polystyrene, a key ingredient in Styrofoam. It is common in aquatic ecosystems and has a long lifespan.
The mealworm could provide an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional recycling methods that are usually expensive and can paradoxically increase pollution.
To test the worm's capabilities, the researchers conducted a month-long trial and presented their gut bacteria.
During the study period, the worms were fed plastic polystyrene and bran – nutrient-rich food.
The results showed that the worms consumed polystyrene more efficiently when fed bran, compared to the diet containing only polystyrene. They managed to break down 11.7% of the total polymer.
They also survive faster, indicating the importance of a nutritious diet.
Khamis said the worms that broke down polymer had higher levels of certain bacteria, whose enzymes they are now keen to isolate to “create microbial solutions that will tackle plastic waste on a larger scale”.
“Rather than dumping a large number of these insects into landfills (which is not practical), we can use the microbes and enzymes they produce in factories, landfills and cleanup sites,” Khamis added.