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Biodegradable polymers boost reproduction in the earthworm Eisenia fetida
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This study compared how conventional plastics and biodegradable polymers affect earthworms in soil. Surprisingly, biodegradable plastics like PLA and PBAT boosted earthworm reproduction, likely because soil microbes can partially break them down into usable carbon sources. However, conventional plastics like polystyrene and PET had neutral to negative effects, highlighting that not all microplastics impact soil organisms the same way.
Microplastic contamination in soil has become a global environmental threat as it adversely affects terrestrial organisms like earthworms as well as soil properties. Especially biodegradable polymers have recently been used as an alternative to conventional polymer types, although their impact remains poorly understood. Thus, we studied the effect of conventional (polystyrene: PS, polyethylene terephthalate: PET, polypropylene: PP) versus aliphatic polyesters classified as biodegradable polymers (poly-(l-lactide): PLLA, polycaprolactone: PCL) on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and soil properties (pH and cation exchange capacity). We addressed direct effects on the weight gain and reproductive success of E. fetida, and indirect effects, like changes in the gut microbial composition as well as the production of short-chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota. Earthworms were exposed for eight weeks in an artificial soil amended with two environmentally relevant concentrations (1 % and 2.5 % (w/w)) of the different microplastic types. PLLA and PCL boosted the number of cocoons produced by 135 % and 54 %, respectively. Additionally, exposure to these two polymers increased number of hatched juveniles, changed gut microbial beta-diversity, and increased the production of the short chain fatty acid lactate compared to the control treatments. Interestingly, we also found a positive effect of PP on the earthworm's bodyweight and reproductive success. The interaction of microplastic and earthworms decreased soil pH by about 1.5 units in the presence of PLLA and PCL. No polymer effect on the cation exchange capacity of soil was found. In general, neither the presence of conventional nor biodegradable polymers had any adverse effects on any of the studied endpoints. Our results suggest that the effects of microplastic highly depend on the polymer type, and that the degradation of biodegradable polymers might be enhanced in the gut of earthworms, which implies that they may use biodegradable polymers as a potential carbon source.
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Reproduction, metabolic enzyme activity, and metabolomics in earthworms Eisenia fetida exposed to different polymer microplastics
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Researchers exposed earthworms to microplastics from three different polymer types, including both conventional and biodegradable plastics, at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that polypropylene microplastics had the most pronounced effects on reproduction and metabolic enzyme activity, while biodegradable plastics also disrupted earthworm metabolism. The study demonstrates that different plastic polymers pose varying levels of risk to soil-dwelling organisms.
Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei
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Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics (PBAT-BD-MPs) on earthworms (Eisenia andrei) across a range of concentrations in an eight-week reproduction test. Both polymer types were assessed for impacts on survival, reproduction, growth, and oxidative stress in soil organisms.
Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei
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Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei using an eight-week reproduction test across seven concentration levels. Both polymer types affected earthworm survival, reproduction, and oxidative stress markers, raising questions about whether biodegradable alternatives pose similar soil ecosystem risks.
A comparison of the toxicity induced by the exposure to microplastics made of a conventional and a biodegradable polymer on the earthworm Eisenia fetida
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Researchers compared the toxicity of conventional versus biodegradable polymer microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida, evaluating whether biodegradable alternatives present reduced ecotoxicological risk in soil environments where microplastic contamination is increasingly documented.
The comparison effect on earthworms between conventional and biodegradable microplastics
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Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms over an extended exposure period. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused comparable or even greater harm than conventional plastics at certain concentrations, including reduced growth and reproduction. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer for soil organisms.
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