Microplastics as a vector of toxic chemicals in soil: Enhanced uptake of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid by earthworms through sorption and reproductive toxicity

Transfer and distribution of heavy metals in soil environment: the involvement of sorbents, microplastics, and earthworms

Effects of Micro-Nanoplastics Exposure to Earthworms in the Soil System

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Researchers investigated how micro- and nanoplastic exposure affects earthworms in soil systems, examining toxicity mechanisms and interactions with co-occurring heavy metals and other contaminants. The findings indicate that MNP contamination can impair soil productivity and earthworm health, threatening the foundation of terrestrial food webs.

Ecological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics

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Researchers reviewed how chemical contaminants that bind to microplastics — including pesticides and heavy metals — affect aquatic and soil organisms, finding that microplastics can both concentrate toxins and amplify their biological impact. This so-called Trojan horse effect may make microplastic pollution more ecologically harmful than the plastic alone would suggest.

Assessing the role of polyethylene microplastics as a vector for organic pollutants in soil: Ecotoxicological and molecular approaches

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Polyethylene microplastics were shown to act as vectors for organic pollutants including pharmaceuticals and pesticides in soil, with earthworm bioaccumulation assays and molecular endpoints revealing that MPs increased contaminant uptake compared to soil exposure alone.

Ecological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics

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Microplastics act as vectors for adsorbed chemical contaminants including pesticides, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants, amplifying their transport and bioavailability in aquatic and soil ecosystems. The combined exposure to plastic particles and their chemical cargo poses greater ecotoxicological risks than either contaminant class alone.