Biology BulletinBiology BulletinИзвестия Российской академии наук. Серия биологическая1026-34703034-5367The Russian Academy of Sciences69800110.7868/S3034543X25060094ECOLOGYЭКОЛОГИЯReview ArticleBiodegradation of polymers by Zophobas morio larvae (Review)БИОДЕГРАДАЦИЯ ПОЛИМЕРОВ ЛИЧИНКАМИ ZOPHOBAS MORIO (ОБЗОР МИРОВОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ)SukhodolskayaR. AСуходольскаяР. АShagidullinR. RШагидуллинР. РShaikhievI. GШайхиевИ. Гlidars@inbox.ruSanatullovaZ. TСанатулловаЗ. ТShaikhievaK. IШайхиеваК. ИSverguzovaS. VСвергузоваС. ВInstitute of Ecology and Subsoli Use of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of TatarstanИнститут проблем экологии и недропользования Академии наук Республики ТатарстанKazan National Research Technological UniversityКазанский национальный исследовательский технологический университетBelgorod State Technological University named after V.G. ShukhovaБелгородский государственный технологический университет им. В.Г. Шухова151120256NO6 (2025)№6 (2025)70671907122025Copyright ©; 2025, Russian Academy of SciencesCopyright ©; 2025, Российская академия наук2025Russian Academy of SciencesРоссийская академия наукhttps://medjrf.com/1026-3470/article/view/698001

The literature data on the use of larvae of the black beetle (Zophobas morio) for biodegradation of various plastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride, etc. are briefly summarized. Brief information is provided on the volume of plastic waste generation in the Russian Federation and in the world, information on the main methods of recycling used polymer materials is briefly given. Information is provided on the morphology of imago and larvae of Z. morio. It has been shown that insect larvae can use plastics as the only source of carbon, effectively decomposing the latter due to the action of a consortium of intestinal microorganisms. Isolated and identified strains of microorganisms that decompose plastics are described, in most cases, due to a decrease in molecular weight, size and oxidation under the action of enzymes. Utilization of polymer materials by biodegradation due to feeding on insect larvae has prospects for development and is intensively developing in the global space.

Обобщены литературные сведения об использовании личинок жука-чернотелки (Zophobas morio) для биодеградации различных пластиков, таких как полистирол, полиэтилен, полипропилен, пенополиуретан, поливинилхлорид и др. Приведены краткие сведения об объемах образования отходов пластиков в Российской Федерации и в мире, дана информация об основных способах переработки отработанных полимерных материалов. Показано, что личинки насекомого могут использовать пластики в качестве единственного источника углерода, эффективно разлагая последние за счет действия консорциума микроорганизмов кишечника. Приведены данные по выделенным и идентифицированным штаммам микроорганизмов, осуществляющих разложение пластиков. Утилизация полимерных материалов путем биодеградации за счет питания личинками насекомых имеет перспективы развития и интенсивно развивается в мировом пространстве.

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