Presentation Type
None
Campus
Daytona Beach
Status
Student
Faculty/Staff Department
Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology
Student Year and Major
Junior Aerospace Physiology
Presentation Description/Abstract
As small particles that do not degrade, microplastics harm the environment. Plastics are physically broken down rather than chemically during the traditional recycling process. An insect naturally found in honeybee hives known as the waxworm can break down the most common plastic: polyethylene. A literature review was conducted on a new method to recycle plastics involving the waxworm Galleria mellonella. Literary review studies suggest that recycling using waxworms is more efficient and faster than traditional methods due to oxidation by enzymes. After conducting a literature review, a bioinformatics study was carried out using published DNA and protein sequences. Two promising enzymes named Ceres and Demetra were identified from literature and compared to others using multiple sequence alignment. This data was then combined with the 3D model of the enzyme to infer properties and a potential mechanism of biodegradation. By identifying enzymes common to insect and bacterial species, microorganisms may be selected for use in plastic recycling and grown on commercial scales. Soil remediation using this method is possible, reducing harmful microplastics from agriculture and streamlining the recycling process. These findings reveal that in the aerospace domain, production of fuel is possible from products of plastic recycling. Food may also be sustainably grown in artificial habitats on a crewed Lunar or Mars mission by reusing materials in situ.
Keywords
recycling, microplastic, waxworm, biotechnology, In Situ Resource Utilization
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Commons
Plastic Recycling Using Waxworms: Biotechnology Solutions
As small particles that do not degrade, microplastics harm the environment. Plastics are physically broken down rather than chemically during the traditional recycling process. An insect naturally found in honeybee hives known as the waxworm can break down the most common plastic: polyethylene. A literature review was conducted on a new method to recycle plastics involving the waxworm Galleria mellonella. Literary review studies suggest that recycling using waxworms is more efficient and faster than traditional methods due to oxidation by enzymes. After conducting a literature review, a bioinformatics study was carried out using published DNA and protein sequences. Two promising enzymes named Ceres and Demetra were identified from literature and compared to others using multiple sequence alignment. This data was then combined with the 3D model of the enzyme to infer properties and a potential mechanism of biodegradation. By identifying enzymes common to insect and bacterial species, microorganisms may be selected for use in plastic recycling and grown on commercial scales. Soil remediation using this method is possible, reducing harmful microplastics from agriculture and streamlining the recycling process. These findings reveal that in the aerospace domain, production of fuel is possible from products of plastic recycling. Food may also be sustainably grown in artificial habitats on a crewed Lunar or Mars mission by reusing materials in situ.