Effect of Different Plastic Films and Foams on the Fitness of Superworms

Overview

Polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) are the most commonly used plastics in industrial and consumer products, but few natural organisms can break down the substances. As a result, it takes multiple decades, at the very least, for a single plastic bag to break down. In recent studies, a variant of the mealworm species, the superworm (Zophobas morio), could degrade both polyethylene and polystyrene foams. In this study, the fitness of superworms consuming films of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), PE foam, PS foam, and control (cabbage and oat bran) were measured through their change in weight and behavior for 14 days. Experiments were done in replicate; worms were kept inside jars, fed on the plastics, and weighed every 24 hours, while the plastic materials were checked for holes and weighed once weekly. The total weight loss of the superworms was -14.24 (±2.95) % for LDPE, -13.744 (± 1.64) % for HDPE, -14 (±1.77) % for PE foam, and -12.27 (0.01) % for PS, in comparison to the control, which had a total weight gain of 21.35% (±1.275%), from the start to end of the testing period. These results indicate that the relative fitness of the superworms declined due to a combination of starvation and insufficient nutrients from the plastics, which may call into question whether the superworms utilize plastic-degrading enzymes in their saliva or shred the plastics mechanically.

Competition history

• AJAS 2024 Category not listed

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