Multi-Solving Waste to Food: From Intergeneration Impacts on Styrofoam-Fed Mealworms to Farm Scale Production

• Main Author: Campbell, Brenden X
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Entomology; Environmental management; Environmental Studies; Nutrition; Plastics
• ISBN: 9798841774136

Expanded polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam™, fills the landfills of the world and pollutes the environment. This discarded waste product is of global concern. This research explores the use of expanded polystyrene as a food source for mealworms, turning inorganic matter into organic products such as protein, fat, fertilizer, and chitin. The study utilized nine treatments and three generations for feeding mealworms: Abundance 32, Abundance 64, Abundance Control, Blend 24, Blend 48, Blend Control, Sufficient 16, Sufficient 32, and Sufficient Control. Results verified by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflectance indicated no presence of (poly)styrene in mealworm frass samples for each generation and treatment. This study analyzed % crude protein, % crude fat, % dry matter, final mealworm weight, time to harvest, rate of expanded polystyrene consumption by mealworms, rate of Purina Chicken Starter ® consumption by mealworms for all treatments within each of the three generations. A lab-driven large-scale population model simulated population growth over one thousand days for each treatment. A supply chain model, utilizing industry standards, simulated expanded polystyrene consumption for each treatment over 60 months and simulated associated profits through four reasonable scenarios.