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Earthworm stress adaptation: The pivotal role of viruses in microplastic‑cadmium co-exposure
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Using an orthogonal experimental design with earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to cadmium and microplastics of varying concentrations and sizes, researchers identified key stress response nodes through modeling and found that viruses in the soil microbiome play a pivotal regulatory role in how earthworms adapt to combined heavy metal and microplastic exposure.
The impact of composite pollutants on the soil ecological environment has garnered increasing attention, particularly the combined contamination of microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals, which poses a significant threat to soil ecosystem stability and security. This study selected Eisenia fetida as the model organism to investigate the interactions of cadmium (Cd) concentration, MPs concentration, and MPs particle size on soil biota using an orthogonal experimental design. The key stress response nodes under pollutants exposure were identified through CCA-TOPSIS modeling, whereas microbial community succession and functional regulatory genes were characterized by contour analysis coupled with metagenomic sequencing. The results revealed that VP93 helped earthworm in detoxification by lysing Escherichia and Enterobacter , while the HSP90A gene enhances this clearance efficiency. Pseudomonas enhances quorum sensing in bacterial communities and increases the abundance of bacteriophages through the mcp gene-mediated chemotactic system; And the glk gene in earthworms regulates glucokinase, while the paaF gene in soil regulates fatty acid metabolism for energy supply, thus forming a virus-microbe energy-signal transduction axis to assist earthworms in maintaining life in complex polluted environments. These findings offer scientific insights and a novel model framework for assessing ecological security risks associated with MPs and Cd co-contamination. • Introduction of a CCA-TOPSIS model to identify key stress response nodes. • Earthworms use Vibrio phage VP93 to lyse Escherichia and Enterobacter , reducing toxicity. • In earthworms, the glk regulates glucokinase for energy; in soil, the paaF supports FAM. • In Pseudomonas , the mcp gene activates quorum sensing to increase pollutant resistance. • Massilia produces cyclodextrin to encapsulate and neutralize environmental pollutants.
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Researchers developed an orthogonal test method to study the combined toxic effects of cadmium and microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida), providing a more rigorous experimental framework for assessing the ecotoxicological risks of co-contamination in soil ecosystems.
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Scientists studied how earthworms react when exposed to both microplastics and cadmium (a toxic metal), looking at stress responses in their bodies and shifts in the bacteria living in and around them. This matters because earthworms are key to healthy soil, and if pollution disrupts them, it could weaken soil quality and the food systems we depend on—giving us an early warning sign of how these combined pollutants might affect broader ecosystems, including our own environment.
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Researchers assessed the combined effects of polypropylene microplastics and a heavy metal mixture (copper, chromium, and zinc) on the earthworm Eisenia foetida and on soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. The study found that co-contamination exacerbated adverse effects on earthworm survival and soil nutrient dynamics compared to single-pollutant exposures, highlighting synergistic risks of combined microplastic and metal pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Researchers studied the effects of microplastics alone and combined with the heavy metal cadmium on earthworms over 42 days. They found that both exposures reduced growth and increased mortality, with the combined treatment causing the most damage through increased oxidative stress. The study also revealed that microplastics can increase cadmium accumulation in earthworms by up to 161%, suggesting microplastics may worsen heavy metal contamination in soil ecosystems.
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