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Terrestrial Biota as Bioindicators for Microplastics and Potentially Toxic Elements
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This review examines how terrestrial animals — including insects, birds, and mammals — can serve as bioindicators of microplastic contamination in soil and air, accumulating particles and associated toxic chemicals in their tissues. The authors also cover how toxic metals adsorb to microplastic surfaces and are co-transported into organisms. Terrestrial bioindicators could help monitor the spread of microplastic pollution across land-based ecosystems.
Plastic products used in our daily life remain in the environment for a long time. Plastics decompose gradually into smaller fragments (<5 mm) known as microplastics. There are different sources of microplastics contamination, including plastic bags, masks, synthetic textiles, and various coatings. Microplastics’ smaller size enhances toxic pollutants’ adsorption, through which they are easily digested by small biota and finally accumulated along the food chain. Many studies are found concerning marine microplastic distribution and pollution; however, rarely do they address terrestrial contamination. The terrestrial species Eobania vermiculata, Rumina decollata, Porcellio, Armadillo, Lumbricus terrestris, and Scolopendra were evaluated as bioindicators for soil pollution by microplastics and some potentially toxic metallic elements. Microplastics were isolated with the help of caustic potash. The particles were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); some associated potentially toxic metals were assessed in the filtrate by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP). The following polymers were present in all studied samples: copolyamide, nylon, high- and low-density polyethylene, polyamide, and polyester. In addition, the metallic elements antimony, iron, aluminum, selenium, and zinc were determined with different concentrations. Thus, terrestrial biota can serve as bioindicators for microplastic pollution of soil, which could act as a vector for potentially toxic elements.
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This review synthesizes research on how insects — both aquatic and terrestrial — interact with microplastics, covering ingestion, bioaccumulation, potential degradation, and toxic effects across many species. Insects represent a critical but understudied link in microplastic transfer through food webs: they occupy a pivotal trophic position, and contamination in insects can propagate to birds, fish, and other wildlife that depend on them. The review highlights significant knowledge gaps in terrestrial insect ecotoxicology compared to the better-studied aquatic realm.
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This review examines how microplastics interact with heavy metals across water, soil, and air environments, acting as carriers that concentrate and transport toxic metals. Researchers found that microplastics can increase the bioavailability and toxicity of metal contaminants to living organisms. The study highlights major gaps in current analytical methods and calls for better tools to understand these complex pollutant interactions.
Organ-level translocation and tissue-specific accumulation of micro- and nanoplastics in wild birds
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Researchers quantified micro- and nanoplastic burdens across six tissues in ten wild bird species and found that smaller-bodied birds carried higher plastic loads. Nanoplastics showed greater ability to move into internal organs than larger microplastics, and plastic particles were detected in the brain, blood, lungs, and muscle tissue. The study suggests that blood plastic levels could serve as a proxy for internal organ contamination and positions wild birds as potential bioindicators for plastic pollution.
Exposure Pathways and Toxicity of Microplastics in Terrestrial Insects
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This review summarizes what is known about how land-dwelling insects encounter, consume, and are affected by plastic pollution. Insects can accumulate microplastics and transfer them to animals higher up the food chain, and exposure has been linked to reduced growth, reproduction, and survival. Since insects play critical roles in pollination and soil health, widespread plastic contamination could have cascading effects on ecosystems and agriculture.
Effects of microplastics on the terrestrial environment: A critical review
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This review summarizes what is known about microplastic contamination in land-based environments, covering sources, fate, and effects on soil and the organisms that depend on it. Microplastics in soil can interact with pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants, acting as carriers that move toxins through the food web and potentially up to humans. The authors note that compared to ocean research, the effects of microplastics on land ecosystems are much less studied and urgently need more attention.
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