Plastic Eating Worms for a Healthier Environment

Overview

Objectives/Goals Two worm species are known to have the ability to digest certain forms of plastic and excrete environmentally safe waste. The objective of this study is to determine which of the two worm species would break down the most plastic over a six week period. Methods/Materials An equal mass of waxworms and mealworms were placed separately in containers with either a styrofoam cup (polystyrene) or a shopping bag (polyethylene). The two types of plastic were then weighed weekly over a period of 42 days to determine how much of each sample had been consumed. Results Weekly measurements showed both worm species were consuming the two varieties of plastic used in the experiment. At the end of six weeks the final measurements showed the mealworms had consumed 3.8% more polystyrene than the waxworm, and 4.1% more of the polyethylene. Conclusions/Discussion The experiment confirmed the two worm species capable of digesting both polystyrene and polyethylene. The mealworms were found to be only slightly better than the waxworms at breaking down both types of plastic. Other factors such as worm cost and species longevity may need to be considered. Also, further testing should explore the impact of varying light, temperature, and humidity on plastic consumption.

Competition history

• CSEF 2018 Environmental Engineering · Entry J1122

Resources

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