Technological application potential of polyethylene and polystyrene biodegradation by macro-organisms such as mealworms and wax moth larvae.

Multiple recent reports showed accelerated biodegradation of polyethylene by employing macro-organisms such as mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), which seemingly chew and digest the plastic. Nevertheless, doubts regarding analytical data were published, and results are not universally transferrable. This paper aims at gaining mechanistic insights and exploring the technological prospects of potential future optimized biodegradation.