A Review On Biodegradable Mealworms Mechanism
Subject Areas :SeyedAmirHossein Mousavi Aghabagher 1 , reza jahan mardi 2
1 - azad university
2 - azad
Keywords: Mealworms, Polystyrene, Biodegradation,
Abstract :
Every year, an enormous amount of 2.5 million tons of plastic enter the oceans. On land, plastic also accumulates in landfills, beaches and other sensitive ecosystems around the world which has been a huge concern through the years. Recent research has been conducted to show us that one type of worm may help us solve the huge problem of plastic waste. Scientists have discovered that the larvae of a type of worm, Mealworm called Tenebrio Molitor, can include styrofoam and other polystyrenes as well as polyethylene in their diet. Not only do worms go on a styrofoam diet, they say, but the microorganisms in their gut can break down plastics during their digestive process, turning it into carbon dioxide and eventually use it as the nutrients that their bodies need. Biodegradable materials disposed by worms also seem to be used as fertilizer to fertilize and impregnate agricultural soil. We are looking for solutions to implement this discovery in a way that eliminates plastic waste therefore can be a solution to clearer oceans, rivers and the entire environment from the inevitable consequences of plastic accumulation. In this review study, narrations from articles related to the biodegradation of polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene have been reviewed.
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