Post 9gRl2s0OxLsTAGD3ce by cathal@sunbeam.city
(DIR) More posts by cathal@sunbeam.city
(DIR) Post #9gRgTuvtgHWyI8BFWS by cathal@sunbeam.city
2019-03-04T22:56:48Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Spent a little while this evening sieving the frass out of my single-box mealworm setup. This time, I am seeing little larvae, indicating that the adults are successfully mating, and the cycle is working. I'm still harvesting plenty of pupae to feed to the wild-birds (I pay my taxes! :) ).I'm thinking it might be time to start taking some pictures and document it for #SolarpunkActionWeek / @actionweek. I started this as an experiment in a temperate-climate alternative to black-soldier-fly composting, and so far it's looking like a success.. although I'm still learning, and there's plenty more to be learned on how to do this best.Managing "wet" waste, in particular, is going to be harder to do with this method: I think Darkling Beetles (=mealworms) prefer mostly dry conditions. Possibly this can be managed with partial dehydration/solar-drying of waste, or perhaps just "mix with sawdust", but then you're maybe just hot-composting. Like I said, lots to learn. :)
(DIR) Post #9gRgTvGoQWGFKzxx7g by compostablespork@weirder.earth
2019-03-05T01:14:31Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@cathal This is so cool! I've been reading about mealworms lately - and one thing that really intrigues me is that they have been shown to be able to feed on polystyrene. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30145418I am super curious about this! I wonder if mealworms fed on PS are safe for consumption (by humans or otherwise).
(DIR) Post #9gRgTvPJut4BlNwkNs by cathal@sunbeam.city
2019-03-05T01:16:45Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@compostablespork Oh yes, they can also seemingly do PP, PET, perhaps others besides! I just started chatting to @the_gayest_doggo about this: https://sunbeam.city/@cathal/101695389201895971I've been put off experimenting until research indicates they can complete the degradation. But I figure odds are good that they can: the existing research is over very limited time-spans with larvae of a particular size, but I am guessing if you kept a colony then the smaller larvae would feed on the frass (poo) of the older ones and further degrade plastic particles. Toward zero? I don't know.. that's why I'm hedging and wondering whether a fungal partner could help finish the job.
(DIR) Post #9gRgTvafEi8mKZFo48 by cathal@sunbeam.city
2019-03-05T01:30:08Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@compostablespork @the_gayest_doggo Quick research yields:Disposable diapers biodegradation by the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21474296Abiotic and biotic degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags by Pleurotus ostreatus https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25419675Degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastic by Pleurotus ostreatus https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23967057(Note: Plastics often have additives that may themselves be degradeable, or not. They may also have heavy metals which the mushrooms may concentrate, so the outputs of this composting process might not be themselves safe to eat or cycle through a food process. But maybe they can reduce landfill volume, at the very least?)
(DIR) Post #9gRgTvs2C82FCRNg8m by 361.xj9@social.sunshinegardens.org
2019-03-05T01:33:52.078093Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@cathal @the_gayest_doggo @compostablespork ideally these can digest plastics and other waste into more useful forms. biogas reactors usually can only eat organic waste, but i’m sure there are useful chems that can be digested from plastics.
(DIR) Post #9gRi7bznbjyN63UtSS by cathal@sunbeam.city
2019-03-05T01:39:44Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@xj9 @the_gayest_doggo @compostablespork Well, my concern is that some additives won't degrade, particularly heavy metals or recalcitrant organic molecules. But, so far my rapid dive into the research is bearing fruit:"Bioremediation of long-term PCB-contaminated soil by white-rot fungi." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27894756"Removal of emerging contaminants using spent mushroom compost" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29660886"Comparing the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil after different bioremediation approaches in relationto the extracellular enzyme activities" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30528015Note that last one: gasification reactors, for example those used to make terra preta nova / biochar, could produce a lot of PAH pollution in their tars, and Oysters might be valuable in remediating that and making the tar more safely-useful.
(DIR) Post #9gRl2s0OxLsTAGD3ce by cathal@sunbeam.city
2019-03-05T01:31:18Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@compostablespork @the_gayest_doggo But, short version is, it's starting to look like mealworms -> grey oysters would be a possibly very good way to degrade some plastics, particularly "food grade" ones like food containers. :blobhyperthink:
(DIR) Post #9gRl2sKbkE2aAvfC7M by the_gayest_doggo@whomst.dog
2019-03-05T02:09:07Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@cathal @compostablespork this is awesome cause oyster mushrooms are so easy and cheap to grow!Im setting up an arduino environment right now in order to automate the growth and cultivation of oyster mushrooms, Ill have to see if I can start growing mealworms in soil that contains plastic waste, the result might make good substrate for oyster mushroom mycelium innoculation.