Mealworm consumption and growth on different diets with plastic
Pearson, Ashley
Pearson, Ashley
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Abstract
In total, it is estimated that the plastic industry has produced more than 6.3 billion tons of plastic since its establishment (De Blasio 2022). It is critical to address how plastics can be degraded in an environmentally conscious manner. One possible answer to this dilemma is to explore the use of insects in waste management. Although plastic waste seems to be an intractable problem, recent research has demonstrated that mealworms, Tenebrio molitor L., can consume and biodegrade common plastics like polyethylene and polystyrene (Sangiorgio 2021). Mealworms were co-fed to find the optimal diet that allows mealworms to consume plastic and gain biomass. Mealworms were subjected to a 48-hour starvation period to ensure a clear intestinal tract. At the conclusion of the starvation period, mealworms were separated into 21 six-celled petri dishes with their respective diets. The first three petri dishes include cells numbers one through 18 and are devoted to diet # 1, 100% wheat bran (B). The next set of three petri dishes includes cells numbered 19 through 36 and are devoted to diet # 2, 100% polystyrene (PS). The next set of three petri dishes includes cells numbered 37 through 54 and are devoted to diet # 3, 100% low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The remainder of the petri dishes include diets four through seven which are different ratios of B to PS and B to LDPE to detect differences in feeding efficiency by cofeeding. On day one of the experiment, initial measurements of the weight of plastic and weight of mealworms were recorded in excel. On day 28, the final day, the same measurements were taken to detect differences in plastic consumption and an increase or decrease in mealworm biomass. If the mealworms fed on the plastic, there would be an expected decrease in the weight of PS or LDPE, and if the biomass of the mealworms increased researchers can infer that the respective diet gave the mealworm enough energy to survive and grow. On the contrary, if the diet did not provide enough energy to survive and grow then the researcher could expect to see a decrease in biomass.
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2023-01-01