(N)ew solutions for plastic degradation are urgently needed. We report the fast bio-degradation of PE by larvae of the wax mothGalleria mellonella , producing ethylene glycol.
Challenge
Create a vermiculture container/environment in which you can throw common plastics that are then eaten by the resident wax worms. Here is a picture of such a container that can get you started. Rest is up to your research, construction capabilities, and imagination.
Woahhhh …great @punkish I was thinking about to take this project idea last year in my college but wasn’t allowed to keep these Wax worms actually about these Wax worms that these can degrade plastic I got to know for the first time though this site…
And after thinking the first question that came into my mind was do all wax worms degrade plastic?
Soon after a quick Google search I got my answer and it was that ," only two species of waxworm, Galleria mellonella and Plodia interpunctella have both been observed eating and digesting polyethylene plastic . The waxworms metabolize polyethylene plastic films into ethylene glycol, a compound which biodegrades rapidly."
@punkish are you working on this project or are planning to do so ? In CUBE HBCSE too, with your help if anyone else too is interested in this , we can start this project …
Firstly we can see the plastic being degraded (never ever seen in my life in reality)
Then we can check the time in which a particular amount of plastic is being degraded.
We can also provide the worms with different kinds of plastics and can see which types of plastics are these worms able to digest.
Ohhh yeah… another interesting person interested on this topic @VirenVaz sir could we meet tomorrow in the cube lab and will discuss what to do and how to do ,etc if you are free.
actually about these Wax worms that these can degrade plastic I got to know for the first time though this site…
(never ever seen in my life in reality)