Discovering the Plastic-Eating Waxworms

Discovering the Plastic-Eating Waxworms

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7 May 2024 By Johnber

NewsTogether

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 Waxworms might look like ordinary little creatures, but they are surprisingly powerful when it comes to dealing with plastic waste. These worms are the young form of wax moths and are usually found in beehives where they eat the wax. Beekeepers generally consider them a nuisance and try to get rid of them quickly.

 However, in 2017, something interesting happened. Federica Bertocchini, a scientist who also keeps bees as a hobby, discovered these worms could eat plastic. After cleaning her beehive, she put some waxworms in a plastic bag and later noticed they had chewed tiny holes in it. The plastic around these holes started to break down. This was a moment of realization for Bertocchini—it was the start of something big.

Unlike humans, who find it tough to break down plastic, these worms do it naturally. They think of plastic as food! Bertocchini and her team found out that the waxworms' spit contains two special enzymes, named Ceres and Demeter after goddesses of agriculture. These enzymes can break down a common type of plastic called polyethylene.

 Every year, the world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic waste. A lot of this plastic ends up in oceans and other water bodies, harming wildlife and the environment. It takes decades or even centuries for plastics to break down completely.

 Using waxworms directly in nature could be risky—they might harm other animals and plants. However, the enzymes they produce are very promising. Bertocchini, now working at a startup called Plasticentropy France, is researching how to use these enzymes on a large scale to tackle global plastic pollution.

 The goal is to develop a way to use these enzymes to help reduce the amount of plastic waste worldwide. Other creatures, like certain fungi and bacteria, and even another insect called the "superworm," have shown similar abilities to digest plastics. These discoveries could lead to new methods to manage plastic waste better.

Several countries are working to reduce the use of single-use plastics, and a global treaty on plastics is expected by late 2024. If scientists can harness the power of these natural plastic-eaters, it could be a big step forward in solving our planet's plastic problem.

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Connecting School

Enzymes - biological molecules, typically proteins, that speed up the rate of chemical reactions within cells.

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Catalytic Function: Enzymes act as catalysts, which means they speed up chemical reactions without being consumed by the reaction themselves. This allows biochemical processes to occur fast enough to support life.

Specificity: Each enzyme is specific to a particular reaction or type of reaction. This specificity is due to the unique three-dimensional shape of the enzyme, especially the active site, where the substrate (the substance upon which an enzyme acts) binds.

Activity Conditions: Enzyme activity can be affected by various factors, including temperature, pH levels, and the presence of inhibitors or activators. Each enzyme works best under optimal conditions, which mimic the natural environment of the enzyme.

Roles in the Body: Enzymes play roles in nearly every function in the body. They help in breaking down nutrients into absorbable units, synthesizing DNA and proteins, converting food into energy, and regulating metabolism.

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Keywords

1. waxworms - young form of wax moths, usually found in beehives where they eat the wax, known for their ability to break down plastic.
2. plastic waste - refers to discarded plastic materials, which are a major environmental concern due to their long degradation time.
3. enzymes - biological molecules, typically proteins, that significantly speed up the rate of chemical reactions; in this context, enzymes in waxworm spit that can break down polyethylene plastic.
4. polyethylene - a common type of plastic used in many products, known for its resistance to degradation.
5. biodegradation - the breakdown of materials by biological means, often through the action of microorganisms or, as discussed, by waxworms.
6. bioresearch - scientific research that involves the study of life and living organisms, often for the development of new technologies or treatments.
7. sustainable - involving methods that do not completely deplete or destroy natural resources, aiming for long-term environmental health.
8. single-use plastics - plastic items intended to be used once and then discarded, such as plastic bags, straws, and food packaging, which contribute significantly to plastic waste.
9. global treaty - an international agreement formed between countries to address a global issue, in this case, the management and reduction of plastic waste.

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