Biodegradation of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment by greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella)

Zhu, P; Pan, X; Li, X; Liu, X; Liu, Q; Zhou, J; Dai, X; Qian, G

Biodegradation of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment by greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella)

Zhu, P Pan, X Li, X Liu, X Liu, Q Zhou, J

Dai, X Qian, G

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 310
Issue Date:: 2021-08-10

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Zhu, P
dc.contributor.author	Pan, X
dc.contributor.author	Li, X
dc.contributor.author	Liu, X
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Q
dc.contributor.author	Zhou, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1393-1608
dc.contributor.author	Dai, X
dc.contributor.author	Qian, G
dc.date.accessioned	2022-03-21T02:42:01Z
dc.date.available	2022-03-21T02:42:01Z
dc.date.issued	2021-08-10
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 310
dc.identifier.issn	0959-6526
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1786
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/155405
dc.description.abstract	Disposal of the increasing amount of the plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is of great concern. In this study, biodegradation feasibility of waste rigid polyurethane (WRPU), waste polystyrene (WPS) and waste acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (WABS) from WEEE by Galleria mellonella larvae were investigated. The cumulative consumptions of WRPU, WPS and WABS are 35.08%, 13.41% and 4.87% of the total 2 g plastic within 7 d, respectively. TG-MS shows a decrease in the total weight loss and the changes of weight loss stages, implying that thermal stabilities of the three plastics drop. Meanwhile, Mn and Mw of the WPS and WABS decrease after the digestion, suggesting the depolymerization and biodegradation of the plastics. Fluorescence imaging demonstrates that total fluorescence intensity of the WRPU has a considerable decrease from 5.904 × 109 to 5.140 × 109 after digestion by Galleria mellonella larvae for 24 h. High-throughput sequencing reveals that the relative abundance of Enterococcus in the WABS and WPS groups increases and Enterobacter decreases, while WRPU shows the opposite trend. The findings suggest active adaptability of intestinal microbes to WEEE plastics with different properties, indicate the feasibility of Galleria mellonella larvae biodegrading the WEEE plastics, and provide a new potential biological treatment for WEEE plastics.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCI LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Cleaner Production
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127346
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	0907 Environmental Engineering, 0910 Manufacturing Engineering, 0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.title	Biodegradation of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment by greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella)
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	310
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering
utslib.for	0910 Manufacturing Engineering
utslib.for	0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2023-08-10T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2022-03-21T02:41:56Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	310

Abstract:

Disposal of the increasing amount of the plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is of great concern. In this study, biodegradation feasibility of waste rigid polyurethane (WRPU), waste polystyrene (WPS) and waste acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (WABS) from WEEE by Galleria mellonella larvae were investigated. The cumulative consumptions of WRPU, WPS and WABS are 35.08%, 13.41% and 4.87% of the total 2 g plastic within 7 d, respectively. TG-MS shows a decrease in the total weight loss and the changes of weight loss stages, implying that thermal stabilities of the three plastics drop. Meanwhile, Mn and Mw of the WPS and WABS decrease after the digestion, suggesting the depolymerization and biodegradation of the plastics. Fluorescence imaging demonstrates that total fluorescence intensity of the WRPU has a considerable decrease from 5.904 × 109 to 5.140 × 109 after digestion by Galleria mellonella larvae for 24 h. High-throughput sequencing reveals that the relative abundance of Enterococcus in the WABS and WPS groups increases and Enterobacter decreases, while WRPU shows the opposite trend. The findings suggest active adaptability of intestinal microbes to WEEE plastics with different properties, indicate the feasibility of Galleria mellonella larvae biodegrading the WEEE plastics, and provide a new potential biological treatment for WEEE plastics.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/155405