Biomass From Plastic and

Styrofoam – Eating
Mealworms as Kerosene
Additive
Kyle Anton S. Aligno, Gerardo Q. Olingay Jr., Ariel M. Naquines, Pedro
Lorenzo Durano, Rhonie Jhey Singson, Jay Michael Garbo; Rajiv Lee
Andrino; Junie Soncados; Christian Jude Odtohan; Shaira Ihara
Introduction
Biomass is any organic matter － wood, crops,
seaweed, animal wastes － that can be used as an
energy source.
One of the organisms that are capable of
producing biomass is the larva form of Tenebrio
molitor, also acknowledged as mealworm.
 Polystyrene, also widely known as Styropor or
Styrofoam, is a synthetic aromatic polymer made
from monomer styrene.
Polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer with
crystalline structure which has large range of
applications depending on the particular type.
 It was found out that the gut of mealworms is an
efficient bioreactor since it contains microbiota
consisting of Exiguobacteria.
This bacterium aids the mealworms in digesting
PE and PS, as their sole diet, in order to survive.
 In a nutshell, this study aims to hit two birds with
one stone–reducing pollution and producing longer
duration of fuel consumption.
Related Studies
Biodegradation and Mineralization of Polystyrene by Plastic-Eating
Mealworms: Role of Gut Microorganism
(Yu Yang, Wei-Min Wu, Joap Zhao, and Jun Yang)
It is the researchers’ aim to investigate the role of gut bacteria
from mealworms in polystyrene degradation.
The results indicated the essential role of gut bacteria in PS
biodegradation and mineralization, confirmed the presence of
polystyrene-degrading gut bacteria, and demonstrated the
biodegradation of polystyrene by mealworms.
Plastic-Eating Worms may Cut Pollution
(Federica Bertocchini, Paolo Bombelli and Chris Howe)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the
ingesting habits of wax worms. These worms that
consumes wax from the honeycombs are capable of
biodegrading polyethylene.
A hundred worms can devour over 92 milligrams
of polyethylene for about 12 hours.
A bacterium that degrades and
assimilates poly (ethylene terephthalate)
(Shosuke Yoshida, Kazumi Hiraga, and Toshihiko Takehana)

This study aims to break down Poly (ethylene terephthalate) specifically plastic bottles
by bacteria named Ideonella sakaiensis. By examining natural microbial communities
exposed to poly (ethylene terephthalate) in the environment, the researchers isolated a
novel bacterium, Ideonella sakaiensis which is able to use poly (ethylene terephthalate) as
its major energy and carbon source.
Problems

This study aims to testify the feasibility of

mealworms to produce biomass from eating
plastics and Styrofoam and the practicability
of the biomass produced as an additive
ingredient for kerosene with the following
questions
•How long would it take for the worm to
consume to the following:
• 24x12 plastic, and
• 6.5 grams of styropore?
•What is the time wherein the kerosene
had been used up?
• biomass plus kerosene
• kerosene without biomass
• Is there a significant difference in the time of totally
using up the kerosene with biomass and without
biomass?
• What is the amount in grams of the biomass in
order to get the optimum length of time in
extending the life of kerosene lamp?

NULL HYPOTHESIS
There is no significant difference in life of light between
kerosene only and
kerosene with biomass.
Methods and Process
Research Design – Quantitative Research
Flow of Research Process – Methods of observation and
experiment will be utilized upon gathering the data needed.
Research Environment – The research will conduct the study in
Sabang, Danao City, Cebu. For it is convenient for the
researchers and is suitable for the experiment in terms of the
availability of the major variables namely the mealworms,
plastics, and kerosene.
Data Gathering Procedure –
First, the researchers will collect and prepare the following
materials: 2000 Mealworms (MWs), Matches, 3 Containers,
Plastics bags (Polyethylene), Styropors (Polystyrene),
Stopwatch, Spoon, Nail, Strainer and Kerosene.

Then, prepare the containers needed to place the

mealworms.
 • Use a heated nail or any tool available to make holes on
the 3 containers’ covers.
• Place 1000 mealworms in one container, then 250
mealworms on the other two.

Afterwards, feed the mealworms with plastic bags and Styropors

and after they egest their wastes, the researchers will collect their
biomass.
• Add polyethylene plastics and Styrofoam in each
container then cover them. Put these containers in a cool,
dark place.
• Collect their waste and biomass every day.
• Pulverize the collected biomass using mortar and pestle
or improvised equipment to make it refined
Next is preparing the setups. First, create the setup A, B, C, D,
and E biomass with kerosene.
• Measure 5 grams of mealworms’ waste and pour it in a
beaker.
• Add some kerosene in the beaker then stir.
• Measure 10 ml of kerosene with biomass;
Then, create the setups F, G, H, I, and J, pure
kerosene only.
• Pour 10 ml of kerosene in every improvised lamp.

After creating the two set-ups, put them under test to

measure the time consumption difference between them.
• Light up the improvised wick in each set-up and
using a stopwatch, measure the time the fuel in
each set-up is consumed.
• Record the time for each set-up.
Next is to test trials for 10 ml kerosene with different amounts
of biomass
• Prepare 3 improvised lamps;
• Measure biomass of 5, 10, and 15 grams of it;
• First setup, mix 10 ml of kerosene with 5 grams of biomass;
• Second setup, mix 10 ml of kerosene with 10 grams of
biomass;
• Last setup, mix 10 ml of kerosene with 15 grams of biomass;
• Then, light up the three setups together, and record the time
duration of each setup.
RESULTS

Table 1. Consumption Duration of 24” x 12” plastic and 6.4 grams

Styropor

  Consumption Time (in days)

24” x 12” plastic 2

6.4 grams styropor 3

 Table 2. Comparison of the life of light between 10 mL kerosene with biomass and 10 mL kerosene only

Kerosene only (C1) Kerosene with Biomass (C2)

SETUP TIME DURATION (in mins) SETUP TIME DURATION (in mins)

A 31.67 F 21.18

B 21.28 G 27.67

C 32.35 H 38.98

D 31.67 I 35.58

E 23.33 J 38.98
Mean 28.06 Mean 32.48
Table 2
Interval Plot of w/ out Bioma, w/ Biomass
95% CI for the Mean
40

35
Data

30

25

20
w/ out Biomass w/ Biomass

The pooled standard deviation is used to calculate the intervals.

Table 3. Comparison of duration of different amounts of biomass in 10 ml kerosene.

SETUP TIME DURATION

5 grams biomass 37.48 mins

(C1)

10 grams (C2) 40.67 mins

15 grams (C3) 53.18 mins

Mean 43.78 mins

Table 3
Interval Plot of C1, C2, ...
95% CI for the Mean
55

50
Data

45

40

C1 C2 C3

The pooled standard deviation is used to calculate the intervals.

Conclusion
The durability of kerosene mixed with biomass is greater than
of kerosene alone, with 4 minutes, and 25 seconds time
difference.

The durability of kerosene depends on the amount of biomass

mixed, for instance 15 grams of biomass holds a record of 53
minutes and 11 seconds.

Which means, that there is a significance difference in life of

light between kerosene only and kerosene with biomass.
Thank you! 