Potential of Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio in Plastic Degradation: Mechanisms, Microorganisms, and Enzymes

Plastics have become a central part of society, yet their benefits are short-lived compared to the enduring environmental impact caused by their resistance to biodegradation. Their persistence endangers natural ecosystems and all living creatures, infiltrating every part of the human food chain. Hydrolyzable plastics have functional groups that make them more susceptible to degradation, and as such, much progress has been made in understanding the factors and mechanisms that ultimately lead to their degradation. On the other hand, non-hydrolyzable polymers are devoid of functional groups, which has made elucidating their mechanism significantly more challenging, and consensus in literature can be sparse. Degradation by microorganisms has grown in popularity as a potential solution, but the rate of degradation is extremely slow in the environment. Interestingly, the larvae of Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio have been found to be able to degrade various resistant polymers at much higher rates than microorganisms alone. Although their ability is closely tied to their gut microbiome, their high rates of degradation are ultimately dependent upon the synergistic relationship between the host insect and gut microbiome.