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Microplastic pollution destabilized the osmoregulatory metabolism but did not affect intestinal microbial biodiversity of earthworms in soil
Summary
This study investigated how microplastic pollution affects the ability of aquatic organisms to regulate their internal salt and water balance. Researchers found that microplastic exposure disrupted key metabolic pathways involved in osmoregulation, though it did not significantly affect overall survival rates in the short term. The findings suggest that even when animals appear healthy, microplastics may be causing hidden physiological stress.
Metabolomic and gut microbial responses of soil fauna to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics indicate the potential molecular toxicity of microplastics; however, limited data exist on these responses. In this study, earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were exposed to spherical (25-30 μm diameter) polystyrene microplastic-contaminated soil (0.02%, w:w) for 14 days. Changes in weight, survival rate, intestinal microbiota and metabolic responses of the earthworms were assessed. The results showed that polystyrene microplastics did not influence the weight, survival rate, or biodiversity of the gut microbiota, but significantly decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level. Moreover, polystyrene microplastics disturbed the osmoregulatory metabolism of earthworms, as indicated by the significantly decreased betaine, myo-inositol and lactate, and increased 2-hexyl-5-ethyl-furan-3-sulfonic acid at the metabolic level. This study provides important insights into the molecular toxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics on soil fauna.