review · Process Safety and Environmental Protection
Plastics persist in the environment for extended periods, creating long-term hazards for humans as well as terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Standard disposal techniques such as landfilling and chemical treatments cause notable environmental damage, while plastics remain highly resistant to natural decomposition. Research highlights that insect larvae can break down plastics with specific benefits, including low operational expenses and the absence of secondary pollution. However, the exact biological mechanisms behind how insects and associated microorganisms degrade polymers are not yet completely understood. Furthermore, polymer degradation via insects currently lacks practical applicability. A synthesis of literature from 2016 to 2022 explores these biological processes alongside potential biodegradation applications, existing technical challenges, and prospective future pathways.
Plastic waste creates lasting threats to both land and water ecosystems, and conventional disposal methods frequently worsen environmental degradation. Understanding how insect larvae and microorganisms decompose polymers without generating secondary pollution provides a foundation for developing cleaner, lower-cost waste management alternatives to landfilling and chemical treatments.
Potential applications centre on biological plastic waste treatment for recycling and waste management facilities. However, the abstract explicitly confirms that insect-driven polymer degradation currently has no practical applicability, situating this work at an early stage of research. Substantial mechanistic and technical uncertainties must be addressed before commercial waste handlers can realistically adopt insect larvae systems.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Plastic has an extended lifespan in the environment, hence presenting an enduring hazard to both humans and diverse organisms, particularly those inhabiting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Conventional techniques for breaking down waste made of plastic, such as dumping it in landfills and using chemical procedures, have been proven to be disadvantageous and have a substantial detrimental impact on environmental sustainability. Plastics exhibit a high resistance to decomposition when left to their own devices. Polymer degradation by insects currently has no practical applicability. The concept of insects degrading plastics is widely recognized, although the precise manner in which it occurs remains incompletely understood. Moreover, the advantages of utilizing insect larvae for the decomposition of plastics involve low expenses and absence of secondary pollution. The current review offers an extensive overview of the latest research papers from 2016 to 2022 that specifically explore the disintegration of plastic by insects and microorganisms. The aim of this review is to provide insight into the processes involved in the decomposition of plastic by insects and environmental microorganisms, while also emphasizing the latest advanced viewpoints on the possible uses of plastic biodegradation, as well as challenges and future prospects in this field.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1016/j.psep.2024.04.021
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