IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OP POLYETHYLENE-DEGRADING MICROORGANISMS IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT OF LARVAE OF THE GREATER WAX MOTH, GALLERIA MELLONELLA L.

摘要

Plastic easily accumulates in the environment and is resistant to natural degradation. Biodegrada-tion of plastics is the main way to manage plastic pollution. Polyethylene (PE)is the most common plastic in everyday life. Insects are of recent interest for plastic degradation. Galleria mellonella (L.)(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)larvae can degrade polveth-ylene into ethylene glycol. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully explained. The present research isolated and identified microorganisms re-lated to polyethylene degradation from the intestinal tract of larvae of the greater wax moth. The findings indicated that two strains of bacteria, LYF-1 and LYF-2, that degrade polyethylene belong to the ge-nus Enterobacter. The physicochemical and surface chemical characteristics of polyethylene degradation by the two bacteria were explored. A preliminary study of the synergistic effects ofLYF-1 and LYF-2 was carried out. Obvious changes were observed on the surfaces of PE films treated with LYF-1 and/or LYF-2. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectros-copy) and XPS(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy)results also indicated the occurrence of the biodegra-dation of PE. This work provides fundamental knowledge of polyethylene-biodegrading bacteria that come from greater wax moths.