Enhanced Bioavailability and Microbial Biodegradation of Polystyrene in an Enrichment Derived from the Gut Microbiome of (Mealworm Larvae).

As the global threat of plastic pollution has grown in scale and urgency, so have efforts to find sustainable and efficient solutions. Research conducted over the past few years has identified gut environments within insect larvae, including (yellow mealworms), as microenvironments uniquely suited to rapid plastic biodegradation. However, there is currently limited understanding of how the insect host and its gut microbiome collaborate to create an environment conducive to plastic biodegradation.