A kind of “superworm” native to South and Central America could be the key to resolving Australia’s plastic waste crisis, a new study suggests.
According to the CSIRO, Australians consume one million tonnes of disposable plastic every year; only 12% of it is recycled.
But researchers at the University of Queensland have made a startling discovery after feeding the common superhero Zophobas morio a polystyrene diet, which could change the recycling process forever. The common “supercook” of Zophobas morio can eat through polystyrene. (Christian Rinke for the University of Queensland) The results of the study, published today in the journal Microbial Genomics, found that insects could not only eat through polystyrene thanks to a bacterial enzyme in the gut, but also they also gained weight and prospered.
“This is a clue that they can get energy from polystyrene,” lead author Dr. Chris Rinke told 9news.com.au, adding that the insects appeared unharmed by the plastic.
“Supercooks can survive on plastic … even after eating polystyrene they went through their entire life cycle,” Rinke said.
“They’re like mini recycling plants.”
The superworm zophobas morio is actually a species of dark beetle native to South and Central America. (Hung Vu for the University of Qu)
For three weeks, the researchers fed three groups of worms on different diets. Some ate bran flakes, others ate plastic, while an unfortunate group got nothing.
The group that received a plastic diet would crush the polystyrene before “feeding it to the bacteria in its gut.”
It is hoped that the “decomposition products” of this process can help form high-value compounds such as bioplastic, a type of biodegradable plastic derived from biological substances.
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“Our next step will be to really categorize these enzymes in more detail,” Rinke said, explaining that an “enzyme cocktail” could also be created in time to help degrade the plastic.
“We want to know exactly how they work and maybe even optimize them to make them work faster.”
These innovations are expected to help encourage more recycling while reducing landfills.
Australians consume a million tonnes of disposable plastic every year; only 12% of it is recycled. (Louise Kennerley / SMH) (Louise Kennerly / SMH)
So what exactly are “superheroes”?
Zophobas morio superheroes are actually a species of dark beetle native to South and Central America.
Its worm-like shape is actually its “larval” stage. They can reach a length of up to five centimeters.
Adult black beetles will live for three to six months. (iStock)
“They lay eggs for about a week or so and then hatch. Then the larvae grow and have to move, it takes five to six months,” Rinke said.
“Then they become pupae, that takes a few weeks. Once the beetle is out, it can live up to half a year.”
Insects are not found in the wilds of Australia, but are bred or imported to our shores, most commonly as pet food for species such as reptiles.
However, Rinke admitted that he also found them sold for human consumption, “baked and covered in chocolate”.
“They’re very nutritious,” he said.
“They’re similar to the flour worm but bigger, I think that’s how they got the ‘supercook’ name.”