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Earthworms multifacetedly drive size- and type-dependent microplastic transport in soils
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This soil incubation study found that earthworms act as key engineers redistributing microplastics in soil through bioturbation, with optimal transport at ~28 earthworms/m² and selective preference for small PET particles over larger or differently shaped plastics, enabling PET to reach deeper soil layers (13.5–19.5 cm).
Soil ecosystems are major sinks for microplastics (MPs), yet critical gaps remain in understanding how soil fauna mediate subsurface transport of MPs with different properties. This study reveals earthworms as multifunctional engineers driving MP redistribution through density-dependent bioturbation and material-selective interactions. Soil incubation experiments showed optimal vertical transport efficiency at 28.49 ± 5.70 earthworms/m, with depth-dependent burrowing creating biological channels. Small PET particles (45.8 ± 13.2 %) reached deeper soil layers (13.5-19.5 cm) more effectively than for larger fragments (27.80 ± 16.00 %). Earthworm pharyngeal filtration and ingestion preferentially mobilized submillimeter MPs (20-400 μm) and flexible fibers, achieving about 17-fold and 1.4-fold higher deep-layer accumulation than rigid particles. Mucus adhesion exhibited polymer-specific dynamics, with polypropylene MPs' low density overriding high hydrophobicity to enhance retention and film-shaped MPs showing greater retention than fibers or spheres. These findings highlight biologically moderated soil MP transport, necessitating risk frameworks that integrate faunal activity, polymer-specific interactions, and depth-dependent contamination thresholds for effective soil conservation strategies.
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Researchers demonstrated that earthworms can transport microplastic particles from the soil surface deeper into the ground, with smaller particles being moved to greater depths. Using the common earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in greenhouse experiments, they showed that worm activity significantly increased the presence of microplastics in lower soil layers. The findings suggest that earthworms play an important role in burying microplastics in soil, potentially affecting other soil organisms and groundwater.
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Earthworm Casting Drives Soil Microplastic Upward Transport and the Formation of Biogenic Polymer Aggregates
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Scientists found that earthworms are moving tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from deeper soil up to the surface, where crops grow, and breaking them into even smaller pieces in the process. The earthworms also create conditions that help beneficial bacteria break down these plastics over time. This matters because it could affect how much plastic contamination gets into our food supply, though more research is needed to understand the full health implications.
Incorporation of microplastics from litter into burrows of Lumbricus terrestris
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Researchers investigated whether earthworms incorporate microplastics from surface litter into their burrows, finding that earthworm burrowing activity actively transports microplastics deeper into the soil profile.
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Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and transport of microplastics in agricultural soils through field surveys and laboratory experiments. They found that sewage sludge amendments led to significantly higher microplastic contamination than mineral fertilizers, and that earthworm activity was a key mechanism for moving plastic particles deeper into soil. The study highlights the importance of accounting for both horizontal and vertical microplastic transport in soils when assessing agricultural pollution.
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