Influences and changes in the metabolic profile of Alphitobius diaperinus in its use as a polystyrene biodegrader
INFLUENCES AND CHANGES IN THE METABOLIC PROFILE OF Alphitobius diaperinus IN ITS USE AS A POLYSTYRENE BIODEGRADER
biodegradation, styrofoam, plastics, larvae, coleopteran, metabolomics
The world production of plastics has increased very quickly in the last 50 years, with emphasis on the Chinese production, responsible for ¼ of the world production. To date, no environmentally friendly method is available to dispose of plastic waste, which accumulates in landfills or is scattered as microplastics.
In this context, biodegradation emerges as a sustainable alternative, as it consists in the mineralization of these materials through submission to microbial metabolism. Current research has reported that some coleopteran species are able to degrade plastics with the aid of their chewing mouthparts and the metabolic activity of their intestinal microbiota. This study shows that Alphitobius diaperinus is able to feed on and apparently degrade polystyrene. The metabolic profile of larvae fed with poultry feed, submitted to absolute fasting and fed with polystyrene were characterized. As well as monitoring their development, dry weight and digestive tract integrity.
More than 60 metabolites were found and among them the metabolites of the polyalcohol, nitrogen and amino acid classes in A. diaperinus larvae submitted to fasting and in the Polystyrene (PS) diet had a significant increase in relation to larvae fed with ration for birds. Showing that even if they were able to chew/crush polystyrene, the metabolism of larvae fed with PS is very similar to that of larvae in fasting condition.
Despite this, this research supports the notion that while synthetic molecules, unlike most natural compounds, do not generally enter the natural food chain to be degraded by environmental microbiota, some species of alternative plastic degraders may be able to decompose plastics. In view of the results found, it appears that the present study will contribute in the long term to provide an adequate, sustainable and profitable management of these post-consumer materials.