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High Density of Microplastics in the Caddisfly Larvae Cases
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High densities of microplastics were found embedded in the cases (shelters built from environmental debris) of caddisfly larvae, with plastics replacing natural materials like sand grains and plant fragments. This documents how widespread microplastic contamination has become in freshwater insect habitats and raises concerns about its effects on larval development.
This study aimed to assess the presence of microplastics (MPs) in an urban river (Gari, Lazio, Italy) using case-building caddisfly larvae as potential bioindicators. Results from the benthic faunal assemblage (STAR_ICMi = 0.797) revealed the presence of a rich and well-diversified macroinvertebrate community, thus reflecting a suitable ecological status. Of 279 caddisfly cases collected, 26% contained small plastic particles of various shapes and colours, while 542 MP items per m2 were found in their substrate. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the most abundant polymers identified by FT-IR analysis found in the Gari River, while the co-presence of lower-density polymers such as polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) reflects the contribution of multiple factors controlling MP deposition. The most abundant MPs were of secondary origin, as evidenced by the Carbonyl Index and the predominant shape. Despite the amounts of MPs found in the Gari River, their ecological and chemical status has been classified as “good” during the monitoring campaigns. These results highlight the need to further investigate the environmental impacts of MPs to implement water quality classification indices.
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Microplastic Footprint in the Larval Cases of Caddisflies (Trichoptera) for Tracing the Sources of Microplastics in Freshwater Bodies
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Scientists found that tiny aquatic insects called caddisflies unknowingly build microplastics into the protective cases they make, with some cases containing as many as 18 plastic bits. Since these insects are a key food source for fish and other wildlife, this discovery means microplastics are already entering the freshwater food chain, raising concerns about how these pollutants could eventually work their way up to the fish and water humans consume. The findings also offer a clever new tool: studying caddisfly cases could help scientists track down where plastic pollution is coming from in lakes and rivers.
Microplastics of different characteristics are incorporated into the larval cases of the freshwater caddisfly Lepidostoma basale
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Researchers found that the freshwater caddisfly larva Lepidostoma basale actively incorporated microplastics of various sizes, shapes, and polymer types into its larval case alongside natural materials, representing a novel pathway of microplastic interaction beyond dietary ingestion in aquatic insects.
PVC and PET microplastics in caddisfly (Lepidostoma basale) cases reduce case stability
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Caddisfly larvae (Lepidostoma basale) incorporated PVC and PET microplastics into their protective cases in the laboratory, and increasing plastic content made the cases less structurally stable than cases built from sand. Weaker cases could impair the larvae's protection from predators and their ability to resist stream currents.
Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates
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Researchers exposed caddisfly and mayfly larvae to various microplastic polymers in laboratory experiments and found that caddisflies incorporated microplastics into their rebuilt cases and mayflies preferentially burrowed in microplastic substrates over natural ones. The study suggests that freshwater macroinvertebrates may not perceive microplastics as a direct threat, raising concerns about chronic exposure effects in heavily contaminated waterways.
Half a century of caddisfly casings (Trichoptera) with microplastic from natural history collections
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Researchers examined natural history museum collections of caddisfly larval casings and found specimens from the 1950s and 1960s containing microplastic fragments incorporated into their normally organic-and-mineral construction. The oldest example identified pushes back the earliest documented occurrence of microplastics in freshwater invertebrate behavior into the mid-20th century.
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