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Microbial metabolism in wormcast affected the perturbation on soil organic matter by microplastics under decabromodiphenyl ethane stress
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Researchers examined how microplastics combined with a brominated flame retardant affect soil health through earthworm activity. They found that microplastics altered the microbial communities in earthworm castings, which in turn changed how soil organic matter was processed. The study suggests that co-pollution from microplastics and flame retardants can disrupt important soil ecosystem functions that depend on earthworm-microbe interactions.
Large-scale plastic wastes annually inevitably induce co-pollution of microplastics (MPs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), while gaps remain concerning their effect on terrestrial function. We investigated the impact of polylactic acid (PLA) or polyethylene (PE) MPs after aging in soil-earthworm microcosms under decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) contamination. MPs altered the food (i.e. soil) of earthworms and affected cast composition, which in turn further affected soil function. After 28 days of exposure, MPs, especially UV-aged MPs, caused the significant enrichment of plastics-degrading bacteria and C/N cycling functions in wormcast, with increased dissolved organic matter consumption after co-exposure (1 % MPs accompanied by 10 mg kg DBDPE). Aging significantly affected soil carbon sequestration, while its effects varied depending on the types of MPs. Notably, soil organic matter was the most impactor affecting wormcast bacteria, highlighting the importance of earthworm's activity on soil carbon. In comparison, PLA-MPs induced stronger responses to the C/N cycling process based on its biodegradable property than PE-MPs, however, aging had a greater effect on PE-MPs due to the formation of oxygen molecules from nothing in the structure. This study expands our current understanding of the interactions of aged MPs and DBDPE in the terrestrial ecosystem. SYNOPSIS: This study highlighted that both MPs before and aging altered the bacterial communities in wormcast and further affected soil ecology during earthworm feeding and excretion.
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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.
Microplastics and decabromodiphenyl ethane co-exposure exerts antagonistic effects on microbial communities in a soil-earthworm system
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Scientists studying soil found that a common plastic pollutant (microplastics) and a flame retardant chemical (DBDPE) each disrupt the microbes living in soil and earthworms in different ways, but surprisingly, when both pollutants are present together, they partly cancel out each other's harmful effects on earthworm health. This matters because real-world pollution rarely involves just one contaminant, and this research shows that testing chemicals separately may not accurately predict what happens in nature, where soil health and nutrient cycling ultimately affect the food we grow.
Insight into Bioaccumulation of Decabromodiphenyl Ethane in Eisenia fetida Increased by Microplastics
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Researchers found that microplastics made from electronics casings significantly increased the accumulation of a brominated flame retardant chemical in earthworms over time. While the microplastics initially slowed absorption of the chemical, after 28 days they promoted greater bioaccumulation by altering the soil environment and the earthworms' gut bacteria. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of electronic waste microplastics and flame retardants in soil may amplify chemical exposure in soil organisms.
Effects of hexabromocyclododecane and polyethylene microplastics on soil bacterial communities
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Researchers examined how the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane and polyethylene microplastics, both separately and combined, affect bacterial communities in agricultural soil over four months. They found that microplastics and the combined exposure significantly altered bacterial diversity, while the flame retardant alone had less impact at low concentrations. The study suggests that the interaction between microplastics and chemical pollutants in soil can reshape microbial communities in ways that may affect soil function.
The effects of high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on the soil and earthworm Metaphire guillelmi gut microbiota
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Researchers exposed earthworms to soil amended with high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics for 28 days and examined changes in both the earthworm gut and soil microbial communities. They found that both types of microplastics significantly altered the composition and diversity of gut bacteria in the earthworms. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in soil can disrupt the gut microbiota of soil organisms, with potential consequences for soil ecosystem health.
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