The Discovery
We found that the caterpillar of the moth Galleria mellonella can degrade Polyethylene (PE) within 1 hour from initial contact.
The larva (or caterpillar) of the moth Galleria mellonella, also known as wax worm.
Image credit: Cesar Hernandez/CSIC
After contact with the wax worm for less than an hour, the plastic bag becomes full of holes.
Image credit: Cesar Hernandez/CSIC
When a thin film (20–30 µm) of PE comes in contact with the wax worm, the plastic undergoes a chemical change.
We found that the chemical structure of the plastic is altered, with introduction of oxygen (oxidation). This oxidation is key to our discovery. The main goal is to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for this reaction.
For details about our discovery, click here
We went a step further and discovered the key of this oxidation reaction.
Enzymes in the wax worm saliva are responsible for the PE oxidation and the break down of the polymer within hours. However, we still do not understand how it happens.
These enzymes can be applied to plastic in water solution at room temperature: in contact with a low-density PE (LDPE), bag they cause the formation of degradation products such as ketones, among other compounds. This new discovery opens up a highway of potential applications in the field of plastic bioremediation via biorecycling.
For further details, see Sanluis et al., 2022
For further details, see Serrano et al., 2023
For further details, see Bertocchini et al., 2023
