Plastic Biodegradation by the Wax Moth: A Viable Alternative

Abstract

Environmental pollution due to plastic is becoming a concentration, drawing concern throughout the world. The wax moth larvae possess the potential for biodegradation of different types of plastic with or without the involvement of the intestinal microbiome in the larval gut. Similarly, mealworms and Tenebrio molitor have been reported to cause the degradation of polyethene and polystyrene mixtures. According to scientific literature, superworms such as Zophobas atratus can cause polystyrene degradation. The plastic is biodegradable with many bacterial genera, including Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Stenotrophomonas, Rhodococcus, Staphylococcus, Streptomyces, Bacillus, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium, and others. A few other invertebrates with complex gut microbiomes also possess this property of plastic biodegradation.

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