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Response of earthworms to microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation: Toxicity comparison of conventional and biodegradable microplastics

The Science of The Total Environment 2022 68 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Yuanyuan Zhao, Chengjun Ge Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Huiting Jia, Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Huiting Jia, Ying Zhang, Huiting Jia, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Dan Feng, Dan Feng, Ying Zhang, Huiting Jia, Huiting Jia, Huiting Jia, Huiting Jia, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Huiting Jia, Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Dan Feng, Dan Feng, Huiting Jia, Dan Feng, Ying Zhang, Huiting Jia, Hui Deng, Hui Deng, Yuanyuan Zhao, Yuanyuan Zhao, Chengjun Ge Ying Zhang, Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Wenzhe Xing, Jiatong Li, Ying Zhang, Wenzhe Xing, Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Dan Feng, Dan Feng, Wenzhe Xing, Dan Feng, Dan Feng, Hui Deng, Wenzhe Xing, Huamei Yu, Huamei Yu, Dan Feng, Ying Zhang, Dan Feng, Dan Feng, Yuanyuan Zhao, Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Huamei Yu, Huamei Yu, Jiatong Li, Ying Zhang, Chengjun Ge Yuanyuan Zhao, Yuanyuan Zhao, Yuanyuan Zhao, Dan Feng, Huamei Yu, Ying Zhang, Jiatong Li, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Dan Feng, Chengjun Ge Ying Zhang, Huamei Yu, Huamei Yu, Ying Zhang, Huamei Yu, Huamei Yu, Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Huamei Yu, Chengjun Ge Ying Zhang, Chengjun Ge Huamei Yu, Huamei Yu, Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Huamei Yu, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhang, Hai-Ying Chen, Chengjun Ge Chengjun Ge Yuanyuan Zhao, Chengjun Ge

Summary

Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene microplastics to earthworms in soil irrigated with biogas slurry. They found that all microplastic types caused time-dependent toxicity, including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of antioxidant defense systems at higher concentrations. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may pose similar ecological risks to conventional plastics for soil organisms.

Polymers

LDPE PE PLA PVC

Body Systems

Musculoskeletal

Models

Invertebrate other

Study Type In vivo

As a reliable environment-friendly alternative, biodegradable plastic mulching films have been introduced into agricultural practice to reduce the adverse threats posed by conventional plastic products. Information regarding whether potential untoward effects of biodegradable plastics exist in soil and how strong are such effects on terrestrial organisms, however, still remains unknown. This study examined differences in the responses of earthworm, represented by Eisenia fetida, to exposure to biodegradable (PLA: polylactic acid) and conventional microplastics (PVC: polyvinylchloride, LDPE: low-density polyethylene) in soil with biogas slurry irrigation. Mortality, growth, histopathology and biochemical enzymes of the earthworms exposed to different concentrations of microplastics (5, 20 and 50 g/kg wet weight of soil, respectively) were investigated after 28 days of incubation in the experiment. The obtained results showed that the ecotoxicity of microplastics (MPs) to earthworms was time-dependent. Regardless of MPs type, continuous exposure to MPs at the concentration of 50 g/kg induced mucous vacuolization, longitude muscle disorder, and granular lipofuscin-like deposits generation in the epithelium. Moreover, tissue fibrosis and cavity formation were also observed in intestinal tissue. The presence of MPs stimulated the oxidative stress system of the earthworms, as indicated by the enhancement of malonaldehyde (MDA) content in vivo. The antioxidative defense system in earthworms was supposed to collapse at the MPs concentration of 50 g/kg after 28 days of exposure. Interestingly, PLA exhibited similar ecotoxicity effects with LDPE, which might violate the original intention of biodegradable plastics with less harmful or nontoxic influence on the terrestrial biotas. Thus, knowledge regarding the molecular and genetic mechanisms of the earthworms in soil containing biodegradable plastics should be further explored to better understand the risk posed by biodegradable plastics in the agroecosystem.

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