Discovering new nano-material from frass of xylophagy insects

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05705
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 40020:Wood science-related
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Kobori Hikaru 静岡大学, 農学部, 准教授 (20612881)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 食材性昆虫 / フラス / マテリアル利用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The morphological and chemical characteristics of the frass produced by larvae of the families Coccinellidae, Lucanidae and Cerambycidae were examined with the aim of exploiting the utilization. Near-infrared spectroscopy, holocellulose determination and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the frass produced by Lucanidae and Cerambycidae larvae were degraded in hemicellulose and cellulose compared to wood itself. The production ratio of frass by Apriona japonica larvae less than 50 days after hatching was 0.062 ± 0.018 g/week . The frass produced by the larvae of Trichoferus campestris were self-adhesive when subjected to heat pressure, and the molded material showed greater than 3 MPa of tensile strength.

Free Research Field

木質科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食材性昆虫のフラスのマテリアル利用の可能性を探索するために、カミキリムシ科をはじめとするいくつかの食材性昆虫のフラスの基本的な構造的、化学的特徴を明らかにした。また、フラス産生速度やフラスを原料とした成型体の試作を通じて、フラスの生産システムや利用方法に関する知見を得た。これまで資源としてほとんど顧みてこられなかった食材性昆虫およびフラスを、将来的に有効活用するための基礎的な知見が得られた。