Biodegradation of plastic waste by yellow mealworms ( <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> larvae)

After a month, PVC was consumed by mealworms more than other plastic sources, as evidenced by their regular life cycle and total live biomass retention (94.8702 ± 2.4278%). A bacterial strain (MG06) with potential PVC-degrading capability was isolated from the guts of the mealworms and was identified as <i>Enterobacter xiangfangensis</i> based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The strain demonstrated PVC-dependent growth and survival, indicating its potential to utilize PVC as a carbon source. To the best of our knowledge, no information regarding <i>E. xiangfangensis</i> concerning plastic degradation has been disclosed. This work reports the first evidence suggesting that this bacterium species may contribute to the biodegradation of PVC.