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Ecotoxicological risk of co-exposure to fosthiazate and microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): Integrating biochemical and transcriptomic analyses
Summary
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.
Fosthiazate (FOS) is a widely used organophosphorus insecticide effective against soil root-knot nematodes. However, its ecotoxicity to non-target soil organisms, particularly in combination with microplastics (MPs), is unclear. This study explores the toxic-effects and molecular mechanisms of co-exposure to FOS and MPs on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) using multilevel toxicity endpoints and transcriptomics. Results showed that both FOS and MPs elevated the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in earthworms' cells. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities followed a similar trend in all treatments, with changes observed at 14 and 28 days, indicating that co-exposure to FOS and MPs increased DNA oxidative damage. Notably, the co-exposure more significantly inhibited Ca-ATPase activity and exacerbated neurotoxicity compared to individual treatments, closely associated with changes in intracellular ROS levels that mediate neuroinhibition and lead to neurotoxicity. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that MPs and FOS disrupted pathways related to metabolism, immunity, and apoptosis, while co-exposure primarily impaired endocrine and receptor pathways, showing higher toxicity. Our study offers novel insights into the ecotoxicological effects and mechanisms of pesticides and microplastics on earthworms, providing valuable data for evaluating the soil environmental health risks associated with compound pollution.
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