{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T19:44:02Z","timestamp":1792784642054,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"American Chemical Society (ACS)","issue":"37","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"stm-asf","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15223\/policy-029"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"stm-asf","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15223\/policy-037"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"stm-asf","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15223\/policy-045"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002920","name":"Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["SRFS2425-1S06"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SRFS2425-1S06"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002920","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)","award":["22276157"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["22276157"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01h0zpd94","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)","award":["42430709"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["42430709"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01h0zpd94","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Sustainable plastic waste management calls for mesocosm-scale biological strategies coupling polymer depolymerization with controlled plastic-carbon transformation, yet routes for optimizing plastivore-mediated bioconversion beyond laboratory scale remain poorly defined. Here, we establish a mesocosm-scale plastivore-based platform using Tenebrio molitor larvae and show that moderate Fe supplementation increased the \u2022OH-associated oxidative activity, accompanied by enhanced polystyrene (PS) depolymerization and PS disappearance. Under a simplified incineration-reference scenario, the estimated PS-derived carbon conversion flux corresponded to a gross avoided direct-emission potential of up to approximately 0.31 t CO2 per ton of larvae per month, without representing net life-cycle greenhouse gas mitigation. Molecular analyses showed greater oxidative functionalization, oligomer formation, and chain scission than under regular bioconversion. Quantitative \u2022OH assays and fluorescence imaging further showed stronger intestinal \u2022OH-associated levels, faster signal development, and earlier stabilization in the enhanced bioconversion system. Together, the evidence supports Fe-mediated enhancement of intestinal oxidative processes consistent with bio-Fenton-type reactions and identifies redox modulation as a promising and scalable strategy for plastic depolymerization and bioconversion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6c10485","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T10:02:13Z","timestamp":1788948133000},"page":"26281-26292","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Oxidative\nEnhancement of Polystyrene Bioconversion\nAssociated with Bio-Fenton-Type Processes in a Mesocosm-Scale Plastivore\nSystem"],"prefix":"10.1021","volume":"60","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0585-2654","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Bo-Yu","family":"Peng","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"City University of Hong Kong , , , ,","place":["Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, 999077"]},{"name":"City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute , , ,","place":["Shenzhen, China, 518057"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9033-0158","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Wen-Xiong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"City University of Hong Kong , , , ,","place":["Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, 999077"]},{"name":"City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute , , ,","place":["Shenzhen, China, 518057"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"316","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"43","key":"2026092210090195400_cit1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"29820","DOI":"10.1021\/acsnano.4c09709","article-title":"Genome-wide molecular\nadaptation in algal primary productivity induced by prolonged exposure\nto environmentally realistic concentration of nanoplastics","volume":"18","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"ACS Nano"},{"issue":"22","key":"2026092210090195400_cit2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11261","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.5c04935","article-title":"Interactions between\nNanoplastics and Antibiotics: Implications for Nanoplastics Aggregation\nin Aquatic Environments","volume":"59","author":"Zhou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"36","key":"2026092210090195400_cit3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16164","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.4c06191","article-title":"Comprehensive\nUnderstanding on the Aging Process and Mechanism of\nMicroplastics in the Sediment-Water Interface: Untangling the Role\nof Photoaging and Biodegradation","volume":"58","author":"Su","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sci.\nTechnol."},{"issue":"2","key":"2026092210090195400_cit4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"138","DOI":"10.1038\/s41578-021-00411-y","article-title":"Risk assessment of\nmicroplastic particles","volume":"7","author":"Koelmans","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Mater."},{"issue":"7936","key":"2026092210090195400_cit5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1038\/d41586-022-03644-1","article-title":"How to make\nplastic less of an environmental burden","volume":"611","author":"DeWeerdt","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature"},{"issue":"8071","key":"2026092210090195400_cit6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-025-09184-8","article-title":"Mapping the chemical\ncomplexity of plastics","volume":"643","author":"Monclu\u0301s","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1016\/j.copbio.2019.03.020","article-title":"Can biotechnology\nturn the tide on plastics?","volume":"57","author":"Brandon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Biotechnol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"118731","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2022.118731","article-title":"Degradation\nof microplastics by hydroxyl radicals generated during microbially\ndriven humus redox transformation","volume":"221","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"issue":"20","key":"2026092210090195400_cit9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7867","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.3c00591","article-title":"Reactive oxygen\nspecies\ntriggered oxidative degradation of polystyrene in the gut of superworms\n(Zophobas atratus larvae)","volume":"57","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"8095","key":"2026092210090195400_cit10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1038\/d41586-025-04100-6","article-title":"Science in\n2050 the future breakthroughs that will shape our world\u2013and\nbeyond","volume":"649","author":"Adam","year":"2026","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2018.08.078","article-title":"Ubiquity of polystyrene\ndigestion and biodegradation\nwithin yellow mealworms, larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)","volume":"212","author":"Yang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"issue":"8","key":"2026092210090195400_cit12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3031","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.2c05009","article-title":"Gut microbiome\nassociating with carbon and nitrogen metabolism during\nbiodegradation of polyethene in Tenebrio larvae with\ncrop residues as co-diets","volume":"57","author":"Ding","year":"2023","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"15","key":"2026092210090195400_cit13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6647","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.3c06954","article-title":"Molecular-weight-dependent\ndegradation of plastics: Deciphering host\u2013microbiome synergy\nbiodegradation of high-purity polypropylene microplastics by mealworms","volume":"58","author":"He","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"30","key":"2026092210090195400_cit14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13239","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.4c05113","article-title":"Microplastics biofragmentation and degradation kinetics\nin the plastivore insect Tenebrio molitor","volume":"58","author":"Peng","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131759","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2023.131759","article-title":"Responses of gut microbiomes to commercial polyester polymer biodegradation\nin Tenebrio molitor Larvae","volume":"457","author":"He","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"issue":"3","key":"2026092210090195400_cit16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2027","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.0c04952","article-title":"Enhanced\nbioavailability and microbial biodegradation of polystyrene in an\nenrichment derived from the gut microbiome of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm larvae)","volume":"55","author":"Brandon","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"23","key":"2026092210090195400_cit17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16737","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.2c03342","article-title":"Biodegradation\nof graphene oxide by insects (Tenebrio molitor larvae):\nrole of the gut microbiome and enzymes","volume":"56","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ.\nSci. Technol."},{"issue":"23","key":"2026092210090195400_cit18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10368","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.4c01130","article-title":"Generation and fate\nof nanoplastics in the intestine of plastic-degrading insect (Tenebrio molitor larvae) during polystyrene microplastic\nbiodegradation","volume":"58","author":"Peng","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139460","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2025.139460","article-title":"Overlooked role\nof peristalsis-driven gut fragmentation\nof microplastics by plastivore Tenebrio molitor larvae","volume":"496","author":"Peng","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"137109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2025.137109","article-title":"In Vivo visualization\nof microplastic degradability\nand intestinal functional responses in a plastivore insect","volume":"486","author":"Peng","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21753","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6c06637","article-title":"Plastivore\nGut System Enables In Vivo Biotransformation and Partial Defluorination\nof Perfluorooctanoic Acid","volume":"60","author":"Peng","year":"2026","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"30","key":"2026092210090195400_cit22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20705","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6c06651","article-title":"Carbon Clues to Plastic Biodegradation: Capabilities,\nLimitations, and Interpretation of Stable Isotope Evidence","volume":"60","author":"He","year":"2026","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tifs.2021.11.024","article-title":"Potentiality\nof Tenebrio molitor larva-based ingredients for the food industry:\nA review","volume":"119","author":"Gkinali","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trends Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit24","unstructured":"European Union.\n          \n          Authorising the Placing on the\nMarket of UV-treated Powder\nof Whole Tenebrio molitor Larvae (Yellow Mealworm) as a Novel Food\nand Amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017\/2470, 2025. (Accessed in May, 2026)."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"134252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2021.134252","article-title":"Iron cycle tuned by thiosulfate in\nFenton reactions: Kinetic modelling and mechanisms","volume":"431","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"issue":"2","key":"2026092210090195400_cit26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1300","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.1c06026","article-title":"Unexpected\nrole of nitrite in promoting transformation of sulfonamide antibiotics\nby peracetic acid: Reactive nitrogen species contribution and harmful\ndisinfection byproduct formation potential","volume":"56","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"1","key":"2026092210090195400_cit27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2881","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-38677-1","article-title":"Water decontamination\nvia nonradical process by nanoconfined Fenton-like catalysts","volume":"14","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"406","DOI":"10.1038\/s41565-023-01534-9","article-title":"Microplastic\nfragmentation by rotifers in aquatic ecosystems contributes to global\nnanoplastic pollution","volume":"19","author":"Zhao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. Nanotechnol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.mie.2020.12.029","article-title":"Characterization\nof biodegradation of plastics in insect\nlarvae","volume":"648","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Method Enzymol"},{"issue":"13","key":"2026092210090195400_cit30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4926","DOI":"10.1021\/ja400337p","article-title":"Full-range intracellular\npH sensing by an aggregation-induced emission-active\ntwo-channel ratiometric fluorogen","volume":"135","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Am. Chem.\nSoc."},{"issue":"8","key":"2026092210090195400_cit31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3489","DOI":"10.1039\/D1QM00328C","article-title":"Hydrogen peroxide-responsive\nAIE probe for imaging-guided organelle targeting and photodynamic\ncancer cell ablation","volume":"5","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mater. Chem. Front."},{"issue":"14","key":"2026092210090195400_cit32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5611","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.2c08593","article-title":"Accumulation kinetics\nand gut microenvironment responses\nto environmentally relevant doses of micro\/nanoplastics by zooplankton Daphnia magna","volume":"57","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"17","key":"2026092210090195400_cit33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10763","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.0c03228","article-title":"Direct\nvisualization and quantification of maternal transfer of silver nanoparticles\nin zooplankton","volume":"54","author":"Yan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"8","key":"2026092210090195400_cit34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5143","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.0c08588","article-title":"Novel imaging of\nsilver nanoparticle uptake by a unicellular\nalga and trophic transfer to Daphnia magna","volume":"55","author":"Yan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"156535","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2024.156535","article-title":"Catalyzing cycling of carbon, nitrogen\nand iron redox by Shewanella in coupling Anammox and Bio-Fenton systems","volume":"499","author":"He","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"issue":"7","key":"2026092210090195400_cit36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4071","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.1c06595","article-title":"Do polystyrene\nnanoplastics have\nsimilar effects on duckweed (Lemna minor L.) at environmentally\nrelevant and observed-effect concentrations?","volume":"56","author":"Xiao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"20","key":"2026092210090195400_cit37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12080","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.5b02661","article-title":"Biodegradation and mineralization\nof polystyrene by plastic-eating mealworms: Part 1. chemical and physical\ncharacterization and isotopic tests","volume":"49","author":"Yang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Environ.\nSci. Technol."},{"issue":"23","key":"2026092210090195400_cit38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17310","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.2c06260","article-title":"Influence of polymer size on polystyrene biodegradation in mealworms\n(Tenebrio molitor): Responses of depolymerization\npattern, gut microbiome, and metabolome to polymers with low to ultrahigh\nmolecular weight","volume":"56","author":"Peng","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"issue":"1","key":"2026092210090195400_cit39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5568","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-33127-w","article-title":"Wax worm\nsaliva and the enzymes therein are the key to polyethylene degradation\nby Galleria mellonella","volume":"13","author":"Sanluis-Verdes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat.\nCommun."},{"issue":"1","key":"2026092210090195400_cit40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-023-01550-w","article-title":"Gut microbiome of mealworms\n(Tenebrio molitor Larvae) show similar responses\nto polystyrene and corn straw diets","volume":"11","author":"Mamtimin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131928","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2021.131928","article-title":"Plastic waste upcycling\ntoward a circular economy","volume":"428","author":"Zhao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154841","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2024.154841","article-title":"Contribution\nof\ngut microbiota to biodegradation of polystyrene in Tenebrio molitor larvae: Microbiome under antibiotic suppression of\nGram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal microbes","volume":"497","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"issue":"5","key":"2026092210090195400_cit43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1038\/s41561-019-0335-5","article-title":"Atmospheric\ntransport and deposition of microplastics in a remote mountain catchment","volume":"12","author":"Allen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Geosci."},{"issue":"22","key":"2026092210090195400_cit44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6855","DOI":"10.1039\/C7CS00149E","article-title":"Environmental performance of bio-based\nand biodegradable\nplastics: The road ahead","volume":"46","author":"Lambert","year":"2017","journal-title":"Chem. Soc. Rev."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"168859","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2025.168859","article-title":"Responses\nof \u03b413C and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species\nto microplastics biodegradation in plastivore mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)","volume":"524","author":"Xu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"key":"2026092210090195400_cit46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135756","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2024.135756","article-title":"Cockroach Blaptica dubia biodegrades polystyrene\nplastics: Insights for superior ability, microbiome and host genes","volume":"479","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."}],"container-title":["Environmental Science &amp; Technology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1021\/acs.est.6c10485","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"unspecified"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/esthag\/article-pdf\/60\/37\/26281\/68455976\/acs.est.6c10485.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/esthag\/article-pdf\/60\/37\/26281\/68455976\/acs.est.6c10485.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T14:32:40Z","timestamp":1790087560000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/esthag\/article\/60\/37\/26281\/5426805\/Oxidative-Enhancement-of-Polystyrene-Bioconversion"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"37","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acs.est.6c10485","relation":{},"ISSN":["0013-936X","1520-5851"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0013-936X","type":"print"},{"value":"1520-5851","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]}}}