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Ecotoxicological effects of polyethylene microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in tetracycline-contaminated soil: Oxidative stress, intestinal barrier damage, and metabolic reprogramming
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Scientists found that when microplastics and antibiotic residue (tetracycline) mix together in soil, they cause even more damage to earthworms than either pollutant alone — harming their gut tissue, disrupting their energy production, and overwhelming their natural defense systems. Since earthworms are a key indicator of soil health, and soil health underpins the food we grow, this suggests that the growing combo of plastic waste and antibiotic pollution in farmland could pose bigger risks to ecosystems (and potentially our food supply) than scientists previously realized by studying these pollutants separately.
The widespread use of antibiotics and plastics has intensified the co-contamination of tetracycline (TC) and polyethylene (PE) microplastics in agricultural soils, yet how PE modulates the toxic effects of TC on soil organisms remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, this study examined how PE modulates TC-induced toxicity in earthworms by exposing them to different concentrations of PE (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 8%) under TC contamination conditions, combining antioxidant enzyme assays, histopathology, and metabolomic analyses. Results showed that the presence of PE significantly altered TC-induced oxidative stress: superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity declined with increasing PE concentration, reaching the lowest level at TP8 (52.58 U g −1 ); catalase (CAT) activity exhibited hormesis effects, peaking at TP1 (8823.04 U g −1 ); and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly suppressed, with the lowest value at TP2 (1.0994 U g −1 ). Histological analysis revealed severe damage to the body wall and intestinal tissues, particularly under TP5 and TP8 treatments, where intestinal epithelium and chloragogenous tissue exhibited marked degeneration and fragmentation. Furthermore, metabolomics revealed marked metabolic reprogramming, characterized by TCA cycle disruption, oxidative stress induction, and altered amino acid flux, ultimately impairing energy metabolism and antioxidant defenses. In addition, key pathways including phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; phenylalanine metabolism; and glycerolipid metabolism were significantly affected, suggesting impaired energy metabolism, antioxidant defenses, and osmotic regulation. Overall, these findings highlight the ecological risks of microplastic contamination in antibiotic-polluted soils, offering important implications for soil ecological risk assessment and pollution management.
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Combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and carbendazim on Eisenia fetida: A comprehensive ecotoxicological study
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Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the pesticide carbendazim on earthworms and found that the two pollutants together caused worse damage than either alone. The combined exposure led to growth problems, oxidative stress, and organ damage even at lower concentrations. Since earthworms are essential for soil health and microplastics and pesticides commonly co-exist in farmland, these findings suggest that agricultural soil contamination could have cascading effects on the food system.
Ecotoxicological effects of combined exposure to bifenthrin and polyethylene microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida
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Scientists found that when a common pesticide (bifenthrin) and microplastics mix together in soil, they team up to cause more harm to earthworms than either one alone—damaging their gut tissue, cells, and nervous system. This matters because it shows how microplastics can act like tiny sponges that stick to other pollutants and make them more toxic, which raises questions about the combined effects of these everyday contaminants in the food and water supply we all share with soil ecosystems.
Multi-level biomarker responses in Eisenia fetida co-exposed to PE-MPs and DiBP: An ecological risk assessment based on physiological, biochemical, and molecular indicators
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Scientists found that when microplastics from farm plastic sheeting combine with a common plastic-softening chemical (DiBP) in soil, they cause worse damage to earthworms than either pollutant alone—harming their cells, DNA, and organs. This matters because these same plastics and chemicals are widespread in soil where our food grows, and earthworms are a key indicator of soil health, so damage to them could signal broader risks to the food chain and environment we depend on.
Understanding the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics on Eisenia fetida: A toxicological evaluation
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Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to increasing concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in soil showed lower body weight, reduced reproductive output, and disrupted antioxidant defenses — with oxidative stress markers climbing nearly 1.3-fold at the highest dose. These findings confirm that microplastic pollution degrades soil ecosystem health at concentrations that could plausibly occur in contaminated agricultural land.
Accumulation of microplastics and Tcep pollutants in agricultural soil: Exploring the links between metabolites and gut microbiota in earthworm homeostasis
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Researchers investigated the co-occurrence of polyethylene microplastics and the flame retardant TCEP in agricultural soils and their combined effects on earthworm health. The study found that co-exposure disrupted earthworm gut microbiota and metabolic homeostasis, suggesting that the interaction between microplastics and chemical additives in agricultural soil may pose greater ecological risks than either contaminant alone.
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