JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
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2021
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IF 10.588
Bo-Yu Peng,Zhibin Chen,Jiabin Chen,Xuefei Zhou,Wei-Min Wu,Yalei Zhang
Polylactic acid (PLA) is biodegraded rapidly under composting or thermophilic temperature but slowly under natural conditions with substantial microplastics generated. In this study, we examined the feasibility of PLA biodegradation and developed a novel approach for PLA waste management using yellow mealworms ( Tenebrio molitor larvae) to achieve biodegradation and resource recovery simultaneously. Results confirmed PLA biodegradation in mealworms as sole PLA and PLA-bran mixtures (10%, 20%, 30% and 50% PLA, wt/wt). Feeding PLA-bran mixtures supported the larval development with higher survival rates and lower cannibal rates than feeding PLA only at ambient temperature. The PLA conversion efficiency was 90.9% with 100% PLA diet and was around 81.5–86.9% with PLA-bran mixtures. A peak insect biomass yield was achieved at a PLA ratio of 20%. PLA biodegradation was verified via detection of chemical and thermal modifications. Gut microbial community analysis indicated that intestinal communities shifted with PLA biodegradation, resulting in clusters with OTUs unique to the PLA diet. Based on these findings, we propose a circular approach for PLA waste management via resource recovery of used PLA as the feedstock for insect biomass production, management of mealworm excrement waste as fertilizer, and utilization of agricultural products for PLA production.
研究领域:
环境科学
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生物学
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微生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Foods
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2024
·Vol. 13
·期 17
·2817
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IF 4.7
Xiu Wang,Xiangxiang Ni,Chaoyi Duan,Ruixi Li,Xiao’e Jiang,Mingfeng Xu,Rongrong Yu
The objective of this study was to explore the impacts of various ultrasonic powers (0, 300, 500, 700, and 900 W) on the structure and functional attributes of the myofibrillar protein (MP) ofTenebrio molitor. As the ultrasonic intensity escalated, the extraction efficiency and yield of the MP rose, while the particle size and turbidity decreased correspondingly. The reduction in sulfhydryl group content and the increase in carbonyl group content both suggested that ultrasonic treatment promoted the oxidation of the MP to a certain extent, which was conducive to the formation of a denser and more stable gel network structure. This was also affirmed by SEM images. Additionally, the findings of intrinsic fluorescence and FTIR indicated that high-intensity ultrasound significantly altered the secondary structure of the protein. The unfolding of the MP exposed more amino acid residues, the α-helix decreased, and the β-helix improved, thereby resulting in a looser and more flexible conformation. Along with the structural alteration, the surface hydrophobicity and emulsification properties were also significantly enhanced. Besides that, SDS–PAGE demonstrated that the MP ofT. molitorwas primarily composed of myosin heavy chain (MHC), actin, myosin light chain (MLC), paramyosin, and tropomyosin. The aforementioned results confirmed that ultrasonic treatment could, to a certain extent, enhance the structure and function of mealworm MP, thereby providing a theoretical reference for the utilization of edible insect proteins in the future, deep-processing proteins produced byT. molitor, and the development of new technologies.
研究领域:
食品科学
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蛋白质化学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
·
2019
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IF 7.149
Bo-Yu Peng,Yiming Su,Zhibin Chen,Jiabin Chen,Xuefei Zhou,Mark Eric Benbow,Craig S. Criddle,Wei-Min Wu,Yalei Zhang
Yellow mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio molitor, Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) have been proven to be capable of biodegrading polystyrene (PS) products. Using four geographic sources, we found that dark mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio obscurus) ate PS as well. We subsequently tested T. obscurus from Shandong, China for PS degradation capability. Our results demonstrated the ability for PS degradation within the gut of T. obscurus at greater rates than T. molitor. With expanded PS foam as the sole diet, the specific PS consumption rates for T. obscurus and T. molitor at similar sizes (2.0 cm, 62–64 mg per larva) were 32.44 ± 0.51 and 24.30 ± 1.34 mg 100 larvae–1 d–1, respectively. After 31 days, the molecular weight (Mn) of residual PS in frass (excrement) of T. obscurus decreased by 26.03%, remarkably higher than that of T. molitor (11.67%). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated formation of functional groups of intermediates and chemical modification. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) suggested that T. obscurus larvae degraded PS effectively based on the proportion of PS residue. Co-fed corn flour to T. obscurus and wheat bran to T. molitor increased total PS consumption by 11.6% and 15.2%, respectively. Antibiotic gentamicin almost completely inhibited PS depolymerization. High-throughput sequencing revealed significant shifts in the gut microbial community in both Tenebrio species that were associated with the PS diet and PS biodegradation, with changes in three predominant families (Enterobacteriaceae, Spiroplasmataceae, and Enterococcaceae). The results indicate that PS biodegradability may be ubiquitous within the Tenebrio genus which could provide a bioresource for plastic waste biodegradation.
研究领域:
环境科学
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微生物学
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昆虫学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
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2024
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IF 7.7
Meng-Lei Xu,Yu Gao,Xiao Xia Han
Insect protein extract is one of the high-quality protein sources and is frequently viewed as a potential nutrition alternative. However, a more precise method for protein measurement is still needed due to protein overestimation by the Kjeldahl method due to the presence of a large amount of chitin in insects. Therefore, we demonstrated the monitoring of chitin and protein extracted from yellow mealworm larvae through the information on molecular vibration obtained using Raman spectroscopy and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The N H vibration at 3475 cm −1 is the characteristic peak of chitin in defatted product observed in the Raman spectra. The nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor in protein extracted from larvae by the Raman method was determined based on the N H vibration and found to be 5.66 ± 0.01. We also compared these experimental data to theoretical Raman and IR spectra and determined the possible reasons for why nitrogen elements in chitin affect the determination of protein content. The method of sequentially removing fat and protein could provide more accurate quantification of protein and chitin. Raman spectroscopy is feasible for various types of insects with high chitin content. Compared with the Kjeldahl method, the Raman method is a faster and more accurate measurement method. Moreover, it provides the content of impurities, purity, and structural information.
研究领域:
分析化学
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食品科学
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光谱学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
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2025
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IF 7.3
Qingqing Tao,Xinbo Wang,Ruoxin Du,Chi Man Leong,Matthew Y. Lui
Several insects hold great promise as vital organisms of the future due to their ability to eliminate various types of organic waste under benign conditions while serving as nutritious protein sources for humans and other animals. During their lifecycle, insects produce a significant volume of excrement, commonly known as frass. The utilization or valorization of insect frass is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of insect-related biodegradation processes. In this paper, we present a seamless process for upgrading insect frass. Specifically, we demonstrate that mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) frass, produced through the biodegradation of plastic (polystyrene) or food waste (shrimp shells), can be straightforwardly used to produce high-quality chitin and chitosan, two essential biopolymers. Depending on the insect feed, chitin and chitosan can be isolated with high purity and N-acetylation, exhibiting physicochemical properties similar to those of commercially obtained products through either acid/base treatment or ionic liquid treatment. Moreover, unlike extraction from other major sources, these carbohydrates can potentially be isolated in a one-pot process with good purity using only base treatment, without the need for corrosive acid solutions for demineralization. These findings suggest that insect frass could serve as a more sustainable source of these two crucial biomaterials.
研究领域:
生物聚合物提取
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废弃物高值化利用
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生物降解
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昆虫生物技术
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材料科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
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2023
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IF 13.6
Lei He,Shan-Shan Yang,Jie Ding,Zhi-Li He,Ji-Wei Pang,De-Feng Xing,Lei Zhao,He-Shan Zheng,Nan-Qi Ren,Wei-Min Wu
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a mass-produced fossil-based plastic polymer that contributes to catastrophic levels of plastic pollution . Here we demonstrated that Tenebrio molitor (mealworms) was capable of rapidly biodegrading two commercial PET resins (microplastics) with respective weight-average molecular weight (M w ) of 39.33 and 29.43 kDa and crystallinity of 22.8 ± 3.06% and 18 ± 2.25%, resulting in an average mass reduction of 71.03% and 73.28% after passage of their digestive tract, and respective decrease by 9.22% and 11.36% in M w of residual PET polymer in egested frass. Sequencing of 16 S rRNA gene amplicons of gut microbial communities showed that dominant bacterial genera were enriched and associated with PET degradation. Also, PICRUSt prediction exhibited that oxidases (monooxygenases and dioxygenases), hydrolases (cutinase, carboxylesterase and chitinase), and PET metabolic enzymes, and chemotaxis related functions were up-regulated in the PET-fed larvae. Additionally, metabolite analyses revealed that PET uptake caused alterations of stress response and plastic degradation related pathways, and lipid metabolism pathways in the T. molitor larvae could be reprogrammed when the larvae fed on PET. This study provides new insights into gut microbial community adaptation to PET diet under nutritional stress (especially nitrogen deficiency) and its contribution to PET degradation.
研究领域:
环境科学
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微生物学
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生物降解
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昆虫学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Parasites & Vectors
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2021
·Vol. 14
·期 1
·1-11
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IF 3.876
Nwanade Chuks F.,Wang Min,Wang Tianhong,Zhang Xiaoyu,Wang Can,Yu Zhijun,Liu Jingze
Background The tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann) is a well-known vector of numerous pathogens of veterinary and medical importance. Various control strategies, including the use of synthetic pesticides, have been developed to control this tick species. However, demand for effective and safe alternative pesticides is increasing due to the adverse effects associated with the intensive and injudicious use of synthetic pesticides, which include undesirable effects on non-target species and environmental pollution. Hence, the acaricidal activity of the extract and the essential oil of Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon) and their major components, and the underlying mechanisms of this activity, were evaluated against unfed larvae and nymphs of H . longicornis . Methods The components of the extract and essential oil of C. cassia were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and their larvicidal and nymphicidal activity were evaluated using the larval and nymphal packet test. The underlying detoxification mechanism was elucidated by targeting in vivo esterase and monooxygenase activity, and the toxicological effect was assessed on non-target Tenebrio molitor and Harmonia axyridis by topical application in open Petri dishes. Results ( E )-cinnamaldehyde was the predominant component of the extract (50.79%) and essential oil (89.95%). The 50% lethal concentration (LC 50 ) for larvae and nymphs treated with the extract was 11.56 and 49.18 mg/mL, respectively. The essential oil, ( E )-cinnamaldehyde and fenvalerate exhibited acaricidal activity, with LC 50 values of 3.81, 3.15, and 0.14 mg/mL, respectively, against the larvae, and 21.31, 16.93, and 1.89 mg/mL, respectively, against the nymphs. ( E )-cinnamaldehyde significantly increased esterase and monooxygenase activity in both larvae and nymphs. Unlike fenvalerate, C . cassia essential oil and ( E )-cinnamaldehyde did not cause mortality of T . molitor or H . axyridis adults. Conclusions This study demonstrates that C . cassia essential oil and ( E )-cinnamaldehyde have the potential to be developed into botanical-based larvicidal and nymphicidal agents for tick control. Graphical abstract
研究领域:
植物学
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昆虫学
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农药科学
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兽医学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
·
2025
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IF 7.7
Yue Yu,Kejian Tian,Pengfei Hao,Yibing Wang,Menghan Chang,Dandan Zhou,Jinming Gu,Fenglin Zhang,Hongliang Huo
Annual global plastic waste exceeds 287 million tonnes, devastating ecosystems and health. As a promising solution, yellow mealworm larvae have shown the ability to degrade plastics. In this study, we explored the regional characteristics of the yellow mealworm and isolated a novel enteric bacterium, S . maltophilia ZSL2493, from the intestinal tract of yellow mealworm larvae, which achieved a biodegradation efficiency of 14.7% of polystyrene (PS) within 30 days. The two most promising candidate enzymes, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (Kmo) and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (Hpd), were identified by transcriptome mining and molecular docking simulations. Their depolymerisation ability was also confirmed by heterologous expression experiments. Recombinant Kmo and Hpd reduced the mass of PS by 6.14% and 3.96%, respectively, within 30 days. Quantitative analysis by liquid chromatography showed that the yield of styrene monomer was 1.37 μg/mL (Kmo-treated group) and 0.95 μg/mL (Hpd-treated group), respectively, after 30 days of incubation, which is a direct evidence of the enzyme's cleavage of polymer chains. This study elucidates the key enzymatic drivers in the biodegradation of PS and promotes the development of enzymatic recycling strategies for difficult-to-degrade plastics.
研究领域:
环境生物技术
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微生物学
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酶学
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高分子科学
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生物降解
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废弃物管理
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生物信息学
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Frontiers in Immunology
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2023
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IF 7.3
Li Lukuan,Wang Yu,Huang Yanqing,Wang Chunfang
Introduction: In an effort to minimize the usage of fishmeal in aquaculture, novel protein diets, including Tenebrio molitor, cottonseed protein concentrate, Clostridium autoethanogenum, and Chlorella vulgaris were evaluated for their potential to replace fishmeal. Nevertheless, comprehensive examinations on the gut health of aquatic animals under an alternate feeding strategy when fed novel protein diets are vacant.Methods: Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets containing various proteins were manufactured, with a diet consisting of whole fishmeal serving as the control and diets containing novel proteins serving as the experimental diets. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) with an initial body weight of 4.73 ± 0.04g employed as an experimental animal and given these five diets for the first 29 days followed by a fishmeal diet for the next 29 days.Results: The results of this study demonstrated that the growth performance of novel protein diets in the second stage was better than in the first stage, even though only the C. vulgaris diet increased antioxidant capacity and the cottonseed protein concentrate diet decreased it. Concerning the intestinal barriers, the C. autoethanogenum diet lowered intestinal permeability and plasma IL-1β/TNF-α. In addition, the contents of intestinal immunological factors, namely LYS and sIgA-like, were greater in C. vulgaris than in fishmeal. From the data analysis of microbiome and metabolome, the levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), anaerobic bacteria, Lactococcus, and Firmicutes were significantly higher in the C. autoethanogenum diet than in the whole fishmeal diet, while the abundance of Pseudomonas, aerobic bacteria, Streptococcus, and Proteobacteria was lowest. However, no extremely large differences in microbiota or short chain fatty acids were observed between the other novel protein diets and the whole fishmeal diet. In addition, the microbiota were strongly connected with intestinal SCFAs, lipase activity, and tight junctions, as shown by the Mantel test and Pearson’s correlation.Discussion: Taken together, according to Z-score, the ranking of advantageous functions among these protein diets was C. autoethanogenum diet > C. vulgaris diet > whole fishmeal diet > cottonseed protein concentrate > T. molitor diet. This study provides comprehensive data illustrating a mixed blessing effect of novel protein diets on the gut health of juvenile largemouth bass under an alternate feeding strategy.
研究领域:
水产养殖
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营养学
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微生物学
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免疫学
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代谢组学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）