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Combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticle on earthworm (Eisenia andrei): oxidative stress responses, bioavailability and joint effect
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Researchers studied the combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticles on earthworms over 28 days. They found that smaller microplastics caused greater oxidative stress, and the combination of both pollutants was more harmful than either one alone. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and metal nanoparticles in soil can amplify negative effects on soil-dwelling organisms.
The co-occurrence of heavy metals and microplastics (MPs) is an emerging issue that has attracted considerable attention. However, the interaction of nickel oxide nanoparticle (nano-NiO) combined with MPs in soil was poorly researched. Here, experiments were conducted to study the influence of nano-NiO (200 mg/kg) and polyethylene (PE) MPs with different concentrations (0.1, 1, and 10%) and sizes (13, 50, and 500 µm) on earthworms for 28 days. Compared to control, the damage was induced by PE and nano-NiO, which was evaluated by biomarker Integrated Biomarker Response index: version 2 (IBRv2) based on six biomarkers including SOD, POD, CAT, MDA, AChE, Na/K-ATPase and cellulase. The majority of the chosen biomarkers showed significant but complicated responses with increasing contaminant concentrations after 28 days of exposure. Moreover, the joint effect was assessed as antagonism by the effect addition index (EAI). Overall, this work expands our understanding of the combined toxicity of PE and nano-NiO in soil ecosystems.
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The combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics with nickel on oxidative stress and related toxic effects to earthworms from individual and cellular perspectives
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Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and nickel on earthworms at both the individual and cellular levels. They found that nanoplastics amplified the harmful effects of nickel by increasing oxidative stress, reducing cell viability, and disrupting the balance between protective and damaging molecules in cells. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can worsen the toxicity of heavy metals already present in contaminated soils.
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.
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.
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.
Compound effect and mechanism of oxidative damage induced by nanoplastics and benzo [a] pyrene
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Researchers examined how polystyrene nanoplastics and a common environmental pollutant called benzo[a]pyrene work together to cause oxidative damage in earthworm cells. They found that the two contaminants had a synergistic toxic effect, with combined exposure producing significantly higher levels of cell-damaging reactive oxygen species than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that nanoplastics may enhance the harmful effects of other soil pollutants by altering how they interact with living cells.
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