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Dataset of enzyme activity related to oxidative stress and macro gene sequencing data of earthworms and soil
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Scientists studied how earthworms react when exposed to both microplastics and cadmium (a toxic metal), looking at stress responses in their bodies and shifts in the bacteria living in and around them. This matters because earthworms are key to healthy soil, and if pollution disrupts them, it could weaken soil quality and the food systems we depend on—giving us an early warning sign of how these combined pollutants might affect broader ecosystems, including our own environment.
Under the combined stress of microplastics and cadmium, earthworms experience oxidative stress and changes in their microbial communities. At the same time, the microbial community in the soil around the "earthworm contact zone" where earthworms are located is also affected by earthworm activity and their secretions. However, these changes are complex. When using traditional biostatistics for analysis, the subjectivity is too high and the reliability of big data analysis is poor. It is urgent to construct an interactive verification method combining molecular biostatistics and advanced mathematical models to solve this bottleneck. The data uploaded to the database includes oxidative stress kinase activity data of earthworms in response to pollution stress at various physiological stages, phylum level and gene information of earthworms and soil microorganisms after metagenomic sequencing.
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Ecotoxicological effects of microplastics and cadmium on the earthworm Eisenia foetida
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Researchers studied the effects of microplastics alone and combined with the heavy metal cadmium on earthworms over 42 days. They found that both exposures reduced growth and increased mortality, with the combined treatment causing the most damage through increased oxidative stress. The study also revealed that microplastics can increase cadmium accumulation in earthworms by up to 161%, suggesting microplastics may worsen heavy metal contamination in soil ecosystems.
Earthworm stress adaptation: The pivotal role of viruses in microplastic‑cadmium co-exposure
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Using an orthogonal experimental design with earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to cadmium and microplastics of varying concentrations and sizes, researchers identified key stress response nodes through modeling and found that viruses in the soil microbiome play a pivotal regulatory role in how earthworms adapt to combined heavy metal and microplastic exposure.
Evaluation of the toxicity effects of microplastics and cadmium on earthworms
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Researchers evaluated the combined toxicity of microplastics and cadmium on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) using both short-term and long-term exposure experiments. They found that the co-exposure produced interactive toxic effects on antioxidant enzyme activity and caused DNA damage, with toxicity severity influenced by microplastic particle size and concentration. The study suggests that the presence of microplastics in contaminated soils can modify how heavy metals like cadmium affect soil organisms.
The effects of polyethylene microplastics on the growth, reproduction, metabolic enzymes, and metabolomics of earthworms Eisenia fetida
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This study exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics in soil for 60 days and found that even when the worms appeared physically healthy, their internal enzyme systems and metabolism were significantly disrupted. The damage included signs of neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and reduced ability to break down harmful substances. Since earthworms are essential for soil health and crop growth, this disruption could indirectly affect the quality of food humans eat.
Transcriptomic and metabolic responses of earthworms to contaminated soil with polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations
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Researchers studied how environmentally realistic concentrations of polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics affect earthworms at the molecular level. They found that both plastic types triggered oxidative stress, damaged digestive and immune systems, disrupted lipid metabolism, and altered the earthworms' ability to regulate water balance. The study suggests that even at concentrations commonly found in the environment, microplastic-contaminated soil poses measurable health risks to earthworms.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.