Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity
Polyurethane (PU) is a widely used polymer with a highly complex recycling process due to its chemical structure. Eliminating polyurethane is limited to incineration or accumulation in landfills. Biodegradation by enzymes and microorganisms has been studied for decades as an effective method of biol...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/1/204 |
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| author | Jose M. Orts Juan Parrado Jose A. Pascual Angel Orts Jessica Cuartero Manuel Tejada Margarita Ros |
| author_facet | Jose M. Orts Juan Parrado Jose A. Pascual Angel Orts Jessica Cuartero Manuel Tejada Margarita Ros |
| author_sort | Jose M. Orts |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polyurethane (PU) is a widely used polymer with a highly complex recycling process due to its chemical structure. Eliminating polyurethane is limited to incineration or accumulation in landfills. Biodegradation by enzymes and microorganisms has been studied for decades as an effective method of biological decomposition. In this study, <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> larvae (<i>T. molitor</i>) were fed polyurethane foam. They degraded the polymer by 35% in 17 days, resulting in a 14% weight loss in the mealworms. Changes in the <i>T. molitor</i> gut bacterial community and diversity were observed, which may be due to the colonization of the species associated with PU degradation. The physical and structural biodegradation of the PU, as achieved by <i>T. molitor</i>, was observed and compared to the characteristics of the original PU (PU-virgin) using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Scanning Electron Microphotography (SEM). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:26:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-faa8c4d0ad534070b8c9ee8327df762b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:26:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-faa8c4d0ad534070b8c9ee8327df762b2023-12-03T15:01:46ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-12-0115120410.3390/polym15010204Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic ActivityJose M. Orts0Juan Parrado1Jose A. Pascual2Angel Orts3Jessica Cuartero4Manuel Tejada5Margarita Ros6Departament of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Prof. García Gonzalez 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainDepartament of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Prof. García Gonzalez 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainDepartment of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafologia y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), University Campus of Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartament of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Prof. García Gonzalez 2, 41012 Sevilla, SpainDepartment of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafologia y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), University Campus of Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainGrupo de Investigacion Edafologia Ambiental, Departamento de Cristalografia, Mineralogia y Quimica Agricola, E.T.S.I.A. Universidad de Sevilla, 41004 Sevilla, SpainDepartment of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Centro de Edafologia y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), University Campus of Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainPolyurethane (PU) is a widely used polymer with a highly complex recycling process due to its chemical structure. Eliminating polyurethane is limited to incineration or accumulation in landfills. Biodegradation by enzymes and microorganisms has been studied for decades as an effective method of biological decomposition. In this study, <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> larvae (<i>T. molitor</i>) were fed polyurethane foam. They degraded the polymer by 35% in 17 days, resulting in a 14% weight loss in the mealworms. Changes in the <i>T. molitor</i> gut bacterial community and diversity were observed, which may be due to the colonization of the species associated with PU degradation. The physical and structural biodegradation of the PU, as achieved by <i>T. molitor</i>, was observed and compared to the characteristics of the original PU (PU-virgin) using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Scanning Electron Microphotography (SEM).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/1/204plasticmealwormsinsectbacteriagut microbiome |
| spellingShingle | Jose M. Orts Juan Parrado Jose A. Pascual Angel Orts Jessica Cuartero Manuel Tejada Margarita Ros Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity Polymers plastic mealworms insect bacteria gut microbiome |
| title | Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity |
| title_full | Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity |
| title_fullStr | Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity |
| title_short | Polyurethane Foam Residue Biodegradation through the <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Digestive Tract: Microbial Communities and Enzymatic Activity |
| title_sort | polyurethane foam residue biodegradation through the i tenebrio molitor i digestive tract microbial communities and enzymatic activity |
| topic | plastic mealworms insect bacteria gut microbiome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/1/204 |
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