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Systematic review on the potential role of terrestrial gastropods in microplastic transformation and bioremediation
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Researchers synthesized evidence from 2000–2025 on how land snails interact with soil microplastics, finding that radular abrasion and digestive processes can mechanically fragment and partially oxidize polymers like polystyrene, potentially increasing microplastic bioavailability to soil microbial communities, though enzymatic evidence and field-scale data remain scarce.
MPs are ubiquitous terrestrial ecosystem pollutants, posing risks to soil health and biota, and eventually food security. Though microbial and insect-mediated degradation of MPs has been explored, the roles of terrestrial gastropods, especially snails, remain underexplored. This review synthesizes the available evidence on the presence of MPs in soils and critically assesses how land snails interact with and transform plastic particles. Literature published within the period 2000–2025 was analyzed to identify mechanisms of ingestion, fragmentation, and partial chemical alteration of plastics by snails. The results showed that radular abrasion and digestive processes can cause mechanical fragmentation and partial oxidation of polystyrene, as well as other polymers, in snails. This could increase the bioavailability of microplastics in soil microbial communities. Differences among species in feeding behavior, physiological responses, and gut microbiota composition affect the potential for degradation. The review pinpoints the major gaps in knowledge, which relate to the scarce enzymatic evidence and the rarity of long-term or field-based studies. Integrated research is required to establish the ecological relevance and biotechnological potential of gastropods for mitigating soil microplastic pollution.
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