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Combined effects of different-sized microplastics and fluindapyr on earthworm: Bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, histopathological responses and gut microbiota
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This study exposed earthworms to microplastics of different sizes combined with a common fungicide and found that smaller microplastics caused more damage, including greater oxidative stress, tissue injury, and disruption to gut bacteria. The microplastics also increased the earthworms' absorption of the fungicide, amplifying its toxic effects. Since earthworms are essential for soil health and agriculture, this combined pollution could indirectly affect food production and the quality of crops grown in contaminated soil.
Soil is an important sink for microplastics (MPs) and pesticides. MPs can act as carriers for pesticides, thus induce direct and indirect effects on soil organisms. Fluindapyr (FIP), a novel succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors fungicides (SDHIs), may pose a serious threat to earthworms. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of joint exposure to MPs and FIP. Here, earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were jointly exposed to PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) and PS (polystyrene) MPs of different sizes (0.1, 1 and 10 μm) along with FIP for 28-day to investigate the toxic effects of single and joint exposure of FIP and MPs on earthworms. The results showed that joint exposure to 0.1 and 1 μm MP promoted the accumulation of FIP in earthworms at the beginning of the experiment compared to the sole group, but the elimination of FIP from earthworms accelerated after 14 d. In addition, the joint exposure caused more serious damages to the epidermis and intestine of earthworms and increased the severity of oxidative stress. The effects of joint exposure to FIP and MPs depended on the size of the MPs, and the strongest effects were observed in the treatment with the smallest size. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the joint exposure to MPs and FIP didn't cause gut microbiota dysbiosis. However, the sole 0.1 μm PS significantly altered the community diversity and richness of earthworm gut bacteria, and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was significantly changed. The obtained results inferred that MPs could influence environmental and toxicological behaviors of FIP and may provide data support for the risk assessments of MPs and FIP on soil ecosystems.
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Effect of polyethylene microplastics on tebuconazole bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and intestinal bacterial community in earthworms
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Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes alongside a common fungicide and found that smaller microplastics caused the most severe oxidative stress and DNA damage. The microplastics also changed how much fungicide accumulated in the earthworms and disrupted their gut bacteria. This matters because earthworms are essential for soil health, and these effects could ripple through agricultural ecosystems that produce our food.
Combined ecotoxicological effects of different-sized polyethylene microplastics and imidacloprid on the earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
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Researchers exposed earthworms to different sizes of polyethylene microplastics combined with the pesticide imidacloprid and found that particle size significantly influenced the combined toxic effects. Smaller microplastics tended to increase pesticide toxicity more than larger ones, affecting earthworm survival, growth, and antioxidant responses. The findings highlight how microplastic size matters when assessing the joint environmental risks of plastic pollution and agricultural chemicals in soil.
The combined effects of azoxystrobin and different aged polyethylene microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): A systematic evaluation based on oxidative damage and intestinal function
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Scientists studied how the pesticide azoxystrobin and aged polyethylene microplastics together affect earthworms, and found the combination was significantly more toxic than either pollutant alone. The aged microplastics helped the earthworms absorb more pesticide, leading to greater weight loss, more oxidative damage, and worse intestinal damage. This is important for human health because it shows that microplastics in agricultural soil can increase the bioavailability and toxicity of pesticides that may end up in our food.
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.
Ecotoxicological risk of co-exposure to fosthiazate and microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): Integrating biochemical and transcriptomic analyses
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Researchers investigated the combined toxic effects of the insecticide fosthiazate and microplastics on earthworms using both biochemical and genetic analyses. They found that co-exposure increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted metabolic pathways more severely than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics may amplify pesticide toxicity in soil organisms, raising concerns about their combined impact on soil ecosystem health.
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