The first evidence of the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) interaction with the silicone moulds

Abstract

The Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella, Lepidoptera) is a common insect species and well-known, widespread kitchen pest. This paper reports the results of their interaction with silicone baking moulds and the evidence for synthetic material decomposition. The obtained fibres exhibited a high level of purification and were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The reported interaction should be further studied from the biological perspective, as it can be crucial for the remediation of silicones or other synthetic polymers in the environment.

Keywords: Fibres; Microplastics; Plodia interpunctella; Polymers; Raman spectroscopy; Silicone moulds; Silicones; Synthetic materials degradation.