Singapore Scientists Innovate with Artificial 'Worm Gut' to Combat Plastic Pollution

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have introduced an artificial 'worm gut' system capable of breaking down plastics, addressing the global challenge of plastic pollution. 

This innovative approach, pioneered by scientists from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), harnesses the power of microbes from the worms' guts to accelerate the biodegradation of plastics.

Traditionally, Zophobas atratus worms, also known as 'superworms', have been recognized for their ability to digest plastics due to bacteria in their gut. However, the practical application of these worms in plastic degradation has been limited by their slow consumption rate and the impracticality of maintaining large numbers of these worms. NTU's method circumvents these obstacles by isolating the beneficial bacteria from the worm's gut, thus eliminating the need for the worms themselves.

Associate Professor Cao Bin of the School of CEE and Principal Investigator at SCELSE explained, "A single worm's lifetime plastic consumption is minimal. By focusing on the microbes that facilitate plastic breakdown within the worm gut and creating an artificial environment for them, we significantly enhance the efficiency of plastic degradation."

The research team's method involved feeding superworms with different types of plastics, including High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polystyrene (PS), and then cultivating the extracted gut microbiomes in a controlled environment to form an artificial 'worm gut'. This environment was optimized for the growth of plastic-degrading bacteria, leading to a notable increase in these bacteria compared to control groups fed a non-plastic diet.

The findings, detailed in a study published in Environment International, Volume 183, in January, indicate that the artificial 'worm gut' promotes the growth of plastic-degrading bacteria and simplifies and tailors the microbial communities to be more effective against specific types of plastics. 

Dr. Liu Yinan, the study's first author, highlighted the success of their approach in developing bacterial communities associated explicitly with plastic degradation. The team is optimistic about the scalability and stability of their method, paving the way for future biotechnological solutions to plastic waste management.

NABIHA ZAIN

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