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Polyvinylchloride and polypropylene as adsorbents of the pesticide monocrotophos enhance oxidative stress in Eudrillus eugeniae (Kinberg)
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Earthworms (Eudrillus eugeniae) were exposed to soil containing polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene microplastics pre-loaded with the pesticide monocrotophos, finding that the plastic-pesticide combination increased oxidative stress markers compared to either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as vectors delivering pesticides to soil invertebrates, amplifying toxic effects.
The use of plastics has increased significantly with consequent rise in the generation of wastes. Microplastics (MPs) with particle size <5 mm are produced in natural terrestrial habitats by weathering of the discarded plastic debris and therefore are likely to impact soil biota. Earthworms are the dominant soil fauna which play vital role in soil formation and decomposition of organics. Since these animals are soil feeders, MP particles contaminating soil are likely to enter in to the gut of these animals affecting their physiology. MPs have been shown to be potent adsorbents of various other pollutants such as heavy metals and agrochemicals. This study reports the effects of two MPs, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) alone and in combination with the pesticide monocrotophos in soil on tissue protein, lipid peroxidation (LPX), activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and catalase (CAT) of an epigeic earthworm Eudrillus eugeniae over an exposure period of 48h. Results from molecular docking and laboratory experiment confirmed that both the MPs are potent adsorbents of the pesticide and enhanced oxidative stress on the animal with significant reduction in protein, increased LPX level and enzyme activities. PP indicated significantly higher pesticide adsorption relative to PVC.
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Can microplastics increase the uptake of agrochemicals by the soil biota and have bigger adverse effects?
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This study tested whether microplastics in soil can carry pesticides and harm earthworms. Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were first exposed to soil containing different levels of the pesticide chlorpyrifos for 14 days, measuring enzyme activity and protein levels. A planned follow-up trial will add pesticide-contaminated microplastics to the soil to see if the pesticide causes further harm.
Effect of polyethylene microplastics on tebuconazole bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and intestinal bacterial community in earthworms
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Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes alongside a common fungicide and found that smaller microplastics caused the most severe oxidative stress and DNA damage. The microplastics also changed how much fungicide accumulated in the earthworms and disrupted their gut bacteria. This matters because earthworms are essential for soil health, and these effects could ripple through agricultural ecosystems that produce our food.
Understanding the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics on Eisenia fetida: A toxicological evaluation
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Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to increasing concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in soil showed lower body weight, reduced reproductive output, and disrupted antioxidant defenses — with oxidative stress markers climbing nearly 1.3-fold at the highest dose. These findings confirm that microplastic pollution degrades soil ecosystem health at concentrations that could plausibly occur in contaminated agricultural land.
The combined effects of azoxystrobin and different aged polyethylene microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): A systematic evaluation based on oxidative damage and intestinal function
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Scientists studied how the pesticide azoxystrobin and aged polyethylene microplastics together affect earthworms, and found the combination was significantly more toxic than either pollutant alone. The aged microplastics helped the earthworms absorb more pesticide, leading to greater weight loss, more oxidative damage, and worse intestinal damage. This is important for human health because it shows that microplastics in agricultural soil can increase the bioavailability and toxicity of pesticides that may end up in our food.
Soil health risks caused by interactions of microplastics and pesticides
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Chlorpyrifos adsorption and desorption on pristine and UV-aged LDPE and biodegradable microplastics derived from plastic mulch films was investigated in laboratory experiments, along with bioconcentration in earthworms. Aging altered the adsorption-desorption behavior of both plastic types and affected pesticide bioavailability to earthworms, highlighting risks from pesticide-microplastic interactions in agricultural soils.
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