This study aims to deepen knowledge of the biodegradation of plastics, focusing on polypropylene (PP) fabric from surgical masks and polystyrene (PS) by larvae of as well as of specialized bacterial consortia from their gut, which were obtained in different enrichment conditions (aerobic, anaerobic, presence or absence of combined nitrogen). Plastics ingested by larvae obtained in Spain did not show any signs of oxidation but only limited depolymerization, preferably from the lowest molecular weight chains. Gut microbiota composition changed as an effect of plastic feeding. Such differences were more evident in bacterial enrichment cultures, where the polymer type influenced the composition more than by culture conditions, with an increase in the presence of nitrogen-fixers in anaerobic conditions. PS and PP degradation by different enrichment cultures was confirmed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions by respirometry tests, with anaerobic conditions favouring a more active plastic degradation. In addition, exposure to selected bacterial consortia in aerobiosis induced limited surface oxidation of PS. This possibly indicates that different biochemical routes are being utilized in the anaerobic gut and in aerobic conditions to degrade the polymer.

中文翻译：

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关于超级蠕虫 Zophobas atratus 幼虫降解聚苯乙烯和聚丙烯的新见解以及在不同培养条件下获得的肠道细菌群落富集


本研究旨在加深对塑料生物降解的了解，重点关注手术口罩中的聚丙烯（PP）织物和幼虫的聚苯乙烯（PS）以及肠道中的特殊细菌群落，这些都是在不同的富集条件（有氧条件下）获得的。 ，厌氧，存在或不存在结合氮）。在西班牙获得的幼虫摄入的塑料没有表现出任何氧化迹象，但只有有限的解聚，最好是从最低分子量链解聚。由于塑料喂养的影响，肠道微生物群的组成发生了变化。这种差异在细菌富集培养中更为明显，其中聚合物类型对组成的影响大于培养条件，在厌氧条件下固氮剂的存在增加。通过呼吸测定测试在有氧和厌氧条件下证实了不同富集培养物对 PS 和 PP 的降解作用，其中厌氧条件有利于更活跃的塑料降解。此外，在需氧条件下暴露于选定的细菌群落会诱导 PS 的有限表面氧化。这可能表明厌氧肠道和需氧条件下利用不同的生化途径来降解聚合物。