biostudies-literatureUnknown10Poma OPlastic pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems of this century because most plastics are single-use, and once their useful life is over, they become pollutants, since their decomposition takes approximately 100-400 years. The objective of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) biodegradation by <i>G. mellonella</i> in the district of Pangoa, Junín, Peru. For the development of the study, the <i>G. mellonella</i> was conditioned in three groups of beekeeping residues (beeswax, balanced diet, and wheat bran); after the conditioning stage, the biodegradation treatment was developed, which consisted of placing the <i>G. mellonella</i> in terrariums with the LDPE, the treatments were carried out at three different times (24, 36, and 48 h). To evaluate the efficacy of biodegradation, two analyses were taken into account: the Raman analysis of the low-density polyethylene samples and the weight reduction of the treated LDPE. The results of the Raman analysis indicated that the best treatment was the one applied with <i>G. mellonella</i> conditioned with beeswax, obtaining a wavelength intensity of 0.45 μ.a., while the weight reduction of the LDPE indicated that the best results were given at 36 h and conditioned with beeswax with a reduction of 236.3 mg. In conclusion, the use of <i>G. mellonella</i> for the biodegradation of low-density polyethylene is effective when it is conditioned with beeswax and the treatment is carried out at 36 h.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology915331https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9535396biostudies-literatureBiodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene-LDPE by the Lepidopteran <i>Galleria Mellonella</i> Reusing Beekeeping Waste.PMC9535396Poma OFernandez HBeraun JPerez Carpio JERicce BSoria JfalseBiodegradation of Low-Density Polyethylene-LDPE by the Lepidopteran <i>Galleria Mellonella</i> Reusing Beekeeping Waste.Plastic pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems of this century because most plastics are single-use, and once their useful life is over, they become pollutants, since their decomposition takes approximately 100-400 years. The objective of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) biodegradation by <i>G. mellonella</i> in the district of Pangoa, Junín, Peru. For the development of the study, the <i>G. mellonella</i> was conditioned in three groups of beekeeping residues (beeswax, balanced diet, and wheat bran); after the conditioning stage, the biodegradation treatment was developed, which consisted of placing the <i>G. mellonella</i> in terrariums with the LDPE, the treatments were carried out at three different times (24, 36, and 48 h). To evaluate the efficacy of biodegradation, two analyses were taken into account: the Raman analysis of the low-density polyethylene samples and the weight reduction of the treated LDPE. The results of the Raman analysis indicated that the best treatment was the one applied with <i>G. mellonella</i> conditioned with beeswax, obtaining a wavelength intensity of 0.45 μ.a., while the weight reduction of the LDPE indicated that the best results were given at 36 h and conditioned with beeswax with a reduction of 236.3 mg. In conclusion, the use of <i>G. mellonella</i> for the biodegradation of low-density polyethylene is effective when it is conditioned with beeswax and the treatment is carried out at 36 h.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222024-10-18T11:22:38.286Z2024-10-18T11:22:38.286ZS-EPMC95353963621308010.3389/fbioe.2022.915331