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Effects of polystyrene microplastics on accumulation of pyrene by earthworms
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Polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics were found to significantly alter the accumulation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pyrene in earthworms compared to pyrene exposure alone, with nanoplastics producing greater effects than microplastics. The study reveals that plastic particles can modify organic pollutant bioavailability to soil invertebrates, with implications for combined contamination risk assessments.
Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are recognized as a class of emerging and ubiquitous contaminants in soil, which influence the behavior of pollutants and have potential adverse impacts on organisms. This study explored the potential mechanisms of polystyrene microplastics (MPs, 10 μm) and nanoplastics (NPs, 100 nm) with different concentrations (10 and 100 mg/kg) in soil on the accumulation and elimination of pyrene in earthworms, Eisenia fetida. MPs facilitated the accumulation of pyrene by earthworms in the first week via injuring the integrity of earthworm intestine. The representative antioxidant enzyme activities indicated that MPs induced severer oxidative stress to earthworms than NPs, especially at the concentration of 100 mg/kg, thus leading to increased accumulation of pyrene by earthworms at the initial stage. In addition, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated that NPs inhibited the pyrene-degrading bacteria in earthworms, resulting in the higher concentration of pyrene in the end. The results elucidated the effects of MNPs with different sizes and concentrations on the accumulation of organic pollutants in the terrestrial invertebrates.
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Effects of nano- and microplastics on the bioaccumulation and distribution of phenanthrene in the soil feeding earthworm Metaphire guillelmi
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Researchers investigated how nano- and microplastics affect the bioaccumulation of phenanthrene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) in soil-feeding earthworms using C-radioactive labeling, finding that fine plastic particles decreased phenanthrene bioavailability in soil and reduced uptake by Metaphire guillelmi earthworms, with nanoplastics showing a stronger dilution effect than microplastics. Soil properties remained the dominant factor controlling bioaccumulation efficiency, and only limited vector effects of the plastic particles were observed.
Bioavailability of pyrene in soil affected by polylactic acid and polystyrene microplastics and their toxic effects on earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
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Researchers investigated how polylactic acid and polystyrene microplastics interact with the pollutant pyrene in soil and affect earthworm health. They found that while microplastics alone did not break down the earthworms' antioxidant defenses, combining them with pyrene produced more severe toxic effects including neurotoxicity and disruption of gut microbiota. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated soils can amplify the harmful effects of other pollutants on soil organisms.
Size effects of microplastics on accumulation and elimination of phenanthrene in earthworms
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Researchers examined how microplastic particle size affects the accumulation and elimination of the pollutant phenanthrene in earthworms. They found that smaller microplastics enhanced phenanthrene uptake in earthworm tissues, while larger particles had a less pronounced effect. The study demonstrates that microplastic size influences how organic pollutants interact with soil organisms, with finer particles potentially increasing contaminant bioavailability.
Amplification of benzo[a]pyrene toxicity persistence in earthworms by polystyrene nanoplastics: From organismal health to molecular responses
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This study found that nanoplastics can make a common cancer-causing pollutant (benzo[a]pyrene) more persistent and toxic in soil. Earthworms exposed to the pollutant carried on nanoplastics showed greater oxidative damage than those exposed to the pollutant alone. This matters because nanoplastics in the environment may act as carriers that amplify the harmful effects of other toxic chemicals.
Effects of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene microplastics on the vermitoxicity of fluoranthene in soil
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Researchers examined how polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene microplastics affect the toxicity of the pollutant fluoranthene to earthworms in soil, finding that different polymer types differentially modify the bioavailability and toxic effects of co-occurring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
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