We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Thermoset Polyester Resin Microplastics: Effects on Enzymatic Biomarkers and Toxicological Endpoint Responses of Eisenia fetida Earthworms
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the effects of thermoset polyester resin microplastics on earthworms at environmentally relevant concentrations over 14 days and found no significant impacts on survival, weight, behavior, or key enzyme biomarkers. The 100 percent survival rate and absence of measurable toxic effects suggest that at these concentrations and timeframes, this type of microplastic may pose limited risk to earthworms. However, the researchers note that longer exposures or higher concentrations could yield different results.
Thermosets are plastic composite materials widely used in many industrial sectors of modern society with an increasing presence in the environment. The adverse effects of this material on environmental compartments and biota of thermosets are still unknown. In this work, we studied the potential effects of two thermoset polyester resin-derived microplastics (R930A-SP and R930A-DVE1) on the survival, behavior, morphological changes and subcellular damage of earthworms Eisenia fetida. The proposed experimental conditions simulated environmentally relevant concentrations, taking as a reference other related microplastics present in the environment. Thus, E. fetida specimens were exposed to five concentrations (100, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg resin per kg soil) of these two resins for 14 days. At concentrations and exposure times studied, no significant effects on growth, measured as weight loss, or on the enzyme biomarkers (cholinesterase, carboxylesterase and glutathione S-transferase) were observed. Similarly, no behavioral changes were detected in earthworms, and the survival rate was 100%. Likewise, no differences were observed between the different formulations of the polyester resins studied. However, this study could serve as a starting point for further studies with higher concentrations and/or exposure times, as well as in combination with other pollutants.
More Papers Like This
Exposure to Microplastics Made of Plasmix-Based Materials at Low Amounts Did Not Induce Adverse Effects on the Earthworm Eisenia foetida
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed earthworms to low amounts of microplastics made from recycled mixed plastic waste and monitored their health over several weeks. They found no significant adverse effects on survival, growth, reproduction, or cellular damage at the concentrations tested. The study suggests that microplastics from this type of recycled material may pose limited risk to soil organisms at low environmental levels.
Toxicity and behavioral responses of environmentally relevant microplastics in earthworms ( Eisenia fetida ): Ingestion, survival, reproduction, and avoidance across common polymer types
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested how earthworms respond to microplastic pollution in soil, and found that even at high plastic levels, the worms didn't avoid contaminated soil, didn't get sick, reproduced normally, and barely absorbed the plastic particles into their bodies. This is good news for soil health and the food chain, since earthworms are key to healthy dirt and crops—but it doesn't mean microplastics are harmless overall, just that this particular worm species seems resilient to them under the tested conditions.
Reproduction, metabolic enzyme activity, and metabolomics in earthworms Eisenia fetida exposed to different polymer microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed earthworms to microplastics from three different polymer types, including both conventional and biodegradable plastics, at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that polypropylene microplastics had the most pronounced effects on reproduction and metabolic enzyme activity, while biodegradable plastics also disrupted earthworm metabolism. The study demonstrates that different plastic polymers pose varying levels of risk to soil-dwelling organisms.
The effects of polyethylene microplastics on the growth, reproduction, metabolic enzymes, and metabolomics of earthworms Eisenia fetida
AI summary Read the abstract
This study exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics in soil for 60 days and found that even when the worms appeared physically healthy, their internal enzyme systems and metabolism were significantly disrupted. The damage included signs of neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and reduced ability to break down harmful substances. Since earthworms are essential for soil health and crop growth, this disruption could indirectly affect the quality of food humans eat.
A comparison of the toxicity induced by the exposure to microplastics made of a conventional and a biodegradable polymer on the earthworm Eisenia fetida
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared the toxicity of conventional versus biodegradable polymer microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida, evaluating whether biodegradable alternatives present reduced ecotoxicological risk in soil environments where microplastic contamination is increasingly documented.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.