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Effects of Different Microplastics on Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Tracking the Extractable Additives Using an Ecotoxicological Approach
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Researchers examined how different types of microplastics affect soil nematode populations by tracking extractable chemical additives released from the plastic particles. They found that microplastic composition, size, and shape influenced the types and amounts of chemicals leached into the soil, which in turn affected nematode survival and behavior. The study highlights that the indirect chemical effects of microplastics may be just as important as their physical presence in determining soil ecosystem impacts.
With increasing interest in the effects of microplastics on the soil environment, there is a need to thoroughly evaluate the potential adverse effects of these particles as a function of their characteristics (size, shape, and composition). In addition, extractable chemical additives from microplastics have been identified as an important toxicity pathway in the aquatic environment. However, currently, little is known about the effects of such additives on the soil environment. In this study on nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans), we adopted an ecotoxicological approach to assess the potential effects of 13 different microplastics (0.001-1% of soil dry weight) with different characteristics and extractable additives. We found that poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fragments and polyacrylicnitrile (PAN) fibers show the highest toxicity, while high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) fragments induced relatively less adverse effects on nematodes. In addition, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) induced no toxicity within our test concentration range for the acute period. Acute toxicity was mainly attributed to the extractable additives: when the additives were extracted, the toxic effects of each microplastic disappeared in the acute soil toxicity test. The harmful effects of the LDPE films and PAN fibers increased when the microplastics were maintained in the soil for a long-term period with frequent wet-dry cycles. We here provide clear evidence that microplastic toxicity in the soil is highly related to extractable additives. Our results suggest that future experiments consider extractable additives as key explanatory variables.
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Effects of Different Microplastics on Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Tracking the Extractable Additives using an Ecotoxicological Approach
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This study tested how three different microplastic types with varying sizes, shapes, and polymer compositions affected soil nematodes, finding that the type of microplastic and its extractable chemical additives influenced toxicity outcomes. The findings show that microplastic effects on soil organisms depend on the specific characteristics of the plastic, meaning blanket toxicity assessments using a single plastic type can be misleading.
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Researchers compared the toxic effects of five types of microplastics and their extractable chemical additives on a common soil worm species. They found that the additives leaching from the plastics were the primary driver of toxicity, reducing worm growth and survival and disrupting gut microbiota. The study indicates that the chemical additives embedded in microplastics may pose a greater threat to soil organisms than the plastic particles themselves.
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Researchers found that microplastics in soil reduced the toxic effects of plant-derived chemicals (phenolic compounds from leaf litter) on soil nematodes. The microplastics appeared to absorb the plant chemicals, reducing their bioavailability to the worms. This shows that microplastics can change soil chemistry in unexpected ways, potentially altering how soil ecosystems function.
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The impact of microplastic on nematodes: Soil type, plastic amount and aging as determinants for the fitness of Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers tested how two types of microplastics, conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA/PBAT, affected tiny soil worms called nematodes across different soil types. Conventional plastic at high concentrations reduced worm reproduction and growth, while the biodegradable plastic caused no harm. Importantly, as microplastics aged in the soil over time, their negative effects worsened, suggesting the long-term impact of plastic pollution in agricultural soil may be greater than short-term studies indicate.
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