Microplastics Enhanced the Bioavailability of (Semi-)Metal in Soil Earthworm Eisenia Fetida

Transfer and distribution of heavy metals in soil environment: the involvement of sorbents, microplastics, and earthworms

Effects of Micro-Nanoplastics Exposure to Earthworms in the Soil System

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Researchers investigated how micro- and nanoplastic exposure affects earthworms in soil systems, examining toxicity mechanisms and interactions with co-occurring heavy metals and other contaminants. The findings indicate that MNP contamination can impair soil productivity and earthworm health, threatening the foundation of terrestrial food webs.

The Potential Concentration-Dependent Effects of Tire Microplastics on the Earthworm Eisenia fetida

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Researchers exposing earthworms (Eisenia fetida) to tire-derived microplastics at four concentrations found significant increases in antioxidant enzyme activity — including catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase — indicating oxidative stress and immune system activation at environmentally relevant exposure levels.

Low-density polyethylene microplastics partially alleviate the ecotoxicological effects induced by cadmium exposure on the earthworm Eisenia fetida

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A controlled soil experiment found that low-density polyethylene microplastics combined with cadmium did not worsen cadmium toxicity to earthworms and actually alleviated cadmium-induced DNA damage in coelomocytes, while LDPE alone had minimal effects on earthworm survival or reproduction. This counterintuitive finding suggests microplastic-metal interactions in soil are complex and not always additive, complicating risk assessments for contaminated agricultural soils.

Effect of Microplastics on the Bioavailability of (Semi-)Metals in the Soil Earthworm Eisenia fetida

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Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the uptake of cadmium and arsenic by earthworms in paddy soil. They found that microplastics altered the soil chemistry in ways that changed how much of these metals the earthworms absorbed, with effects varying by metal type and concentration. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated agricultural soils can influence how toxic metals move through the food chain.