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Cadmium and phthalate impacts developmental growth and mortality of Spodoptera littoralis, but not reproductive success
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Researchers exposed moths (Spodoptera littoralis) to cadmium and DEHP individually and in combination, finding that cadmium delayed larval development and increased adult mortality, with a synergistic effect when combined with DEHP, while reproductive success remained largely unaffected.
Our environment is increasingly polluted with various molecules, some of which are considered endocrine disruptors. Metals and phthalates, originating from industrial activities, agricultural practices, or consumer products, are prominent examples of such pollutants. We experimentally investigated the impacts of the heavy metal cadmium and the phthalate DEHP on the moth Spodoptera littoralis. More specifically, larvae were reared in laboratory conditions, where they were exposed to diets contaminated with either two doses of cadmium at concentrations of 62.5 µg/g or 125 µg/g, two doses of DEHP at 100 ng/g and 10 µg/g, or a combination of both low and high doses of the two compounds, with a control group for comparison. Our findings indicate that cadmium delays the developmental transition from larva to adult. Notably, the combination of cadmium and DEHP exacerbated this delay, highlighting a synergistic effect. In contrast, DEHP alone did not affect larval development. Additionally, we observed that cadmium exposure, both alone and in combination with DEHP, led to a lower mass at all larval stages. However, cadmium-exposed individuals that reached adulthood eventually reached a similar mass to those in other groups. Interestingly, while our results did not show any effect of the treatments on hatching success, there was a higher adult mortality rate in the cadmium-treated groups. This suggests that while moths may prioritize reproductive success, their survival at the adult stage is compromised by cadmium exposure. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the impact of cadmium on the development, mass, and adult survival of moths, and reveals synergistic effects when combined with DEHP. These results confirm cadmium as an endocrine disruptor, even at low doses. These insights underscore the importance of understanding the toxicological effects of low doses of pollutants like cadmium and DEHP, both individually and in combination.
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DEHP, a chemical found in plastics, is known to mess with hormones in humans and animals, and this study shows it does the same in moths, disrupting the hormone signals that control their growth and transformation into adults. While this research was done in insects, it adds to growing evidence that phthalates like DEHP can interfere with hormone systems across very different species, reinforcing concerns about how these common plastic additives might affect human hormonal health, especially since DEHP is found in food packaging, personal care products, and household dust.
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Researchers found that polypropylene microfibers increased cadmium accumulation in cadmium-tolerant moth larvae (Spodoptera exigua) but did not independently alter key biomarkers, suggesting that multigenerational cadmium exposure may confer cross-tolerance that buffers insects against the added stress of microplastic co-exposure.
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Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused significantly worse effects than either pollutant individually. Co-exposure amplified oxidative stress, increased cell death in the spine and esophagus, and disrupted growth hormone pathways more severely than single exposures. The findings suggest that microplastics and heavy metals in waterways may interact to create heightened risks for developing fish.
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Researchers found that when potato beetles were exposed to both microplastics and the toxic metal cadmium together, the damage to their survival and ability to reproduce was much worse than either pollutant alone. This matters because these same contaminants are building up in soil where our food grows, so understanding how they harm insects that eat plants helps us predict risks to our food supply and the environment.
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