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Review of the effects of two major plastic compounds in arthropods: a call for increased interdisciplinarity and further studies at the population level
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This review synthesizes evidence that two ubiquitous plastic chemicals — DEHP and BPA — disrupt biological functions in arthropods including development, reproduction, and behavior, while identifying major research gaps around endocrine disruption mechanisms, epigenetics, microbiome interactions, and population-level impacts in these ecologically critical invertebrates.
Due to the massive use of plastics worldwide, plastic chemicals such as bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA) are ubiquitous in the environment. Concerns about human health promoted studies on the effects of those two chemicals on vertebrates, where they have been found to act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), thus affecting important biological functions under hormonal regulation (e.g. development and reproduction). While arthropods represent most of animal biodiversity and play crucial roles in aquatic and terrestrial environments, few studies have investigated DEHP and BPA effects on those organisms as compared to vertebrates. In this context, the present article aims at reviewing the known effects of DEHP and BPA on arthropods. DEHP and BPA affect various biological functions in arthropods, and could act at low doses and possibly induce long-term effects for organisms, but the mechanisms of actions of those chemicals in arthropods are still unknown. We discuss research gaps on this issue and ecotoxicology in arthropods in general: (1) the notion of DEHP and BPA as endocrine disruptors in arthropods; (2) the usefulness of behavioural studies in arthropods' ecotoxicology; (3) the need to better understand epigenetic mechanisms in arthropods and how chemicals could interfere with them; (4) the inclusion of the effects on arthropod's microbiota in ecotoxicological studies; and (5) the need to increase the use of integrative approaches, omics, modelling and adverse outcome pathways to better understand chemicals' mechanisms of actions in arthropods and the resulted adverse outcomes at population level.
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This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic exposure routes and toxicokinetics in arthropods across diverse habitats, examining how MPs accumulate in insect, crustacean, and arachnid tissues and the mechanisms by which they cause physiological harm.
Single and combined effects of Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and bisphenol A on life traits of the tropical micro-crustacean Ceriodaphniacornuta
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This study investigated the individual and combined effects of two common plastic additives — DEHP (a phthalate plasticizer) and bisphenol A — on the life history of freshwater zooplankton. Both chemicals are leached from plastic products into the environment and were found to affect reproduction and survival, with combined effects sometimes different from either chemical alone.
Effects of DEHP on post-embryonic development, nuclear receptor expression, metabolite and ecdysteroid concentrations of the moth Spodoptera littoralis
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DEHP, a chemical found in plastics, is known to mess with hormones in humans and animals, and this study shows it does the same in moths, disrupting the hormone signals that control their growth and transformation into adults. While this research was done in insects, it adds to growing evidence that phthalates like DEHP can interfere with hormone systems across very different species, reinforcing concerns about how these common plastic additives might affect human hormonal health, especially since DEHP is found in food packaging, personal care products, and household dust.
Consequences of Exposure to Phthalates, Micro Plastics and Nano-plastics on the Organisms
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This review summarizes the toxic effects of microplastics, polystyrene, and phthalate plasticizers (BPA, DBP, DEHP) on vertebrates and invertebrates. These chemicals enter organisms through food, water, and air, causing hormonal disruption, reproductive harm, and other health effects across a wide range of species.
The Impact of Endocrine Disruptions on Animal and Human Organism
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This review examines how endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A, phthalates, and micro- and nanoplastics, interfere with hormonal balance in animals and humans. Researchers describe how these substances interact with hormone receptors, induce epigenetic changes, and disrupt cell signaling pathways affecting reproduction, metabolism, and neurological function. The study highlights that nanoparticles, including microplastics, may amplify endocrine disruption and calls for more research into the molecular pathways involved.
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