Possible application of T. molitor in numerous biotechnological processes as a significant element in green technology, with a contribution to solving environmental pollution problems

The yellow mealworm T. molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is not only a good source of protein for human`s and animal food and feed, but it is recognized for its potential to biodegrade different types of single used plastic materials like polystyrene (PS) and low density polyethylene (LDPE). T. molitor biodegrade PS and LDPE due to bacteria present in their gut, breaking it down through the process of depolymerization to CO2 and H2O. Three self-sustaining laboratory populations of T. molitor, fed with wheat bran control (C group) and wheat bran with added polystyrene (PS group), and low density polyethylene (LDPE group), have been reared in the Department of insect physiology and biochemistry for three years. Our goal was to analyze the impact of three year co-fed plastic diet on their gut bacterial community, identify a potential plastic eating bacteria, and mechanisms involved in the process of PS and LDPE biodegradation. The most abundant phyla for all three laboratory populations were Firmicutes, Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria. PS group microbiota is similar to C group, pointing to a common bacterial species capable for degrading lignocellulose and PS, while consumption of LDPE caused a significant decrease of Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota compared to C group, and Campylobacterota compared to PS group. A predictive metabolomics analysis recognized dTDP-L-rhamnose biosynthesis I in PS group as one of five unique pathways, while other five distinctive pathways, like peptidoglycan maturation, were linked to LDPE group. Although further research needs to be done in order to determine the possible plastic degrading properties of bacteria detected in each group, and precise mechanism by which they utilize PS and LDPE, the obtained results indicate on how diverse application of T. molitor can be in numerous biotechnological processes as a significant element in green technology, with a contribution to solving environmental pollution problems.