We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The deep-burrowing earthworm Lumbricus terrestris ingests and transports microplastic fibres of a wide length range in soils
Summary
Scientists found that earthworms can eat and move tiny plastic fibers through soil, carrying pieces as long as 4.8 mm from the surface down to deeper layers. This matters because it shows how microplastics that contaminate soil from sources like synthetic clothing and plastic waste can spread underground through natural processes. Understanding how these plastic particles move through soil helps us better predict where they might end up in our food chain and environment.
• Bioturbation is an important transport mechanism for MP fibres. • Lumbricus terrestris ingested and excreted MP fibres of up to 4.8 mm in length. • MP fibre length decreased with soil depth, but the absolute value of this change was small. • MP transport by L. terrestris likely depends on MP length, width and volume. • Bioturbation and earthworm ecology need to be considered for MP transport. Microplastic (MP) exposure of the terrestrial environment is increasingly reported, but exposure levels may change due to transport processes. MPs occur in different shapes. Particularly MP fibres can affect soil structure and soil organisms. Earthworms are important contributors to particle movement in soils, yet their influence on the redistribution of MP fibres remains poorly understood. This study investigated if the deep-burrowing earthworm Lumbricus terrestris enhances vertical MP fibre transport and whether fibre length affects ingestion and transport distance. We measured the mass-based redistribution of MP fibres by L. terrestris using repacked soil columns spiked with metal-doped polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibres (median length 0.750 mm). Additionally, number concentrations and MP lengths were determined by optical microscopy. The transported MP mass-fraction increased from two to four weeks (5.7 to 9.0 % of MP mass), with most transport occurring during the first two weeks. L. terrestris preferentially transported smaller MP fibres, indicated by a depth-dependent decrease in MP fibre lengths, likely due to easier ingestion. However, absolute differences in MP fibre lengths across depth (<0.170 mm) and effect magnitudes were small (Cohen’s d < 0.2). Another experiment with homogeneously spiked soil confirmed instead that this earthworm species can ingest long MP fibres (up to 4.8 mm in casts; median 0.700 mm) that are otherwise often considered immobile in soils. The observed transport underscores that bioturbation is a relevant transport mechanism leading to a vertical redistribution of MPs entering soils. A broader range of bioturbating organisms in more complex systems need to be considered for establishing realistic transport rates. Abbreviations: MP(s), Microplastic(s); L. terrestris, Lumbricus terrestris .