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Earthworms on a microplastics diet
Summary
Researchers found that environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics added to plant litter on soil surfaces led to reduced growth and elevated mortality in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris, and that earthworms may themselves transport ingested microplastics deeper into soils.
Plastic Pollution![Figure][1] A common type of earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris PHOTO:© NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Microplastics commonly found in marine environments can cause harm to marine organisms when ingested. Terrestrial environments are also widely polluted with plastics, but little is known about their effect on terrestrial species. Huerta Lwanga et al. have investigated the effect of polyethylene microplastics in plant litter on earthworms. To provide a realistic exposure scenario, the authors added the microplastics to plant litter deposited on the soil surface. They show that environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations led to reduced earthworm growth and elevated mortality as compared to a control. Futhermore, earthworms may transport microplastics into soils, from which they may leach into surface waters. Environ. Sci. Technol. 10.1021/acs.est.5b05478 (2016). [1]: pending:yes
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