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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic-mediated delivery of di-butyl phthalate alters C. elegans lifespan and reproductive fidelity
ClearMicroplastic-Mediated Delivery of Di-butyl Phthalate Alters C. elegans Lifespan and Reproductive Fidelity
Using C. elegans as a model, researchers found that polystyrene microplastics act as delivery vehicles for the plasticizer di-butyl phthalate, with combined exposure significantly reducing brood size, increasing embryonic death rates, and shortening lifespan more than either contaminant alone.
Microplastic Moves Pollutants and Additives to Worms, Reducing Functions Linked to Health and Biodiversity
Researchers exposed lugworms to sediment containing 5% microplastic pre-loaded with pollutants and plastic additives, confirming that ingested microplastic transfers chemicals into gut tissue — with nonylphenol uptake from PVC reducing immune cell function by over 60% and triclosan from PVC causing sediment-engineering impairment and mortality exceeding 55%.
Microplastics and Their Impact on Reproduction—Can we Learn From the C. elegans Model?
This review examines the growing evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics can harm reproductive systems in animals, causing oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage that disrupts normal reproductive function. Researchers highlight that these particles can also carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals that further compound reproductive risks. The study proposes using the nematode C. elegans as an efficient model organism for rapidly screening the reproductive effects of plastic particles.
Microplastics Effects on Reproduction and Body Length of the Soil-Dwelling Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers compared the effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable polymer microplastics on reproduction and body length in the soil nematode C. elegans. The study found that microplastic exposure affected these organisms, highlighting that even biodegradable plastics may pose risks to soil-dwelling invertebrates and that terrestrial microplastic toxicity deserves greater research attention.
Distinct responses of Caenorhabditis elegans to polyethylene microplastics and plant secondary metabolites
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics and plant-derived chemical compounds individually and together affect the roundworm C. elegans, a common soil organism. They found that while the plant compounds reduced worm reproduction and lifespan, microplastics had milder individual effects but modified the toxicity of the plant chemicals when combined. The study reveals that in real soil environments, the interactions between microplastics and natural plant chemicals create complex toxicity patterns.
Chronic and transgenerational effects of polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations in earthworms
Researchers evaluated the effects of polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations on earthworms across two generations. The study found that exposure at 0.5% concentration caused over 70% reduction in reproduction for both parent and offspring generations, significant DNA damage, and accumulation of phthalate additives released from the plastic particles.
Effect of an environmental microplastic mixture from the Seine River and one of the main associated plasticizers, dibutylphthalate, on the sentinel species Hediste diversicolor
Researchers exposed the marine polychaete worm Hediste diversicolor to a real-world microplastic mixture from the Seine River and to the plasticizer dibutylphthalate (DBP) for 4 and 21 days, assessing antioxidant, immune, neurotoxic, and metabolic biomarkers. After 21 days, microplastic-exposed worms showed oxidative stress and immune disruption, while DBP caused distinct metabolic effects.
Unveiling the impact of short-term polyethylene microplastics exposure on metabolomics and gut microbiota in earthworms (Eudrilus euganiae)
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics and found significant disruptions in their metabolism and gut bacteria, even when no visible signs of stress were present. The microplastics affected energy and lipid metabolism, anti-inflammatory processes, cell signaling, and membrane integrity. The study suggests that microplastics can cause hidden biological harm to soil organisms well before any outward symptoms appear.
Earthworms on a microplastics diet
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.
Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms
Researchers exposed marine worms to microplastics and found that ingestion reduced the worms' energy reserves, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion imposes a measurable energetic cost that could affect growth, reproduction, and survival.
Biochemical and physiological effects of multigenerational exposure to spheric polystyrene microplastics in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that multigenerational exposure of C. elegans to polystyrene microplastics at low concentrations triggered oxidative stress, increased detoxification enzyme activity, and caused accumulating physiological effects across five consecutive generations.
Size-dependent vector effects of microplastics on bioaccumulation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in earthworm: A dual-dosing study
Researchers developed a dual-dosing method to directly measure how microplastics act as carriers for hydrophobic organic contaminants in earthworms. The study found that smaller microplastic particles had greater vector effects, increasing bioaccumulation of pollutants, and that dermal uptake played a significant role in contaminant transfer from microplastics to organisms.
Microplastic (1 and 5 μm) exposure disturbs lifespan and intestine function in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes were exposed to 1 μm and 5 μm microplastics at realistic environmental concentrations, with both sizes shortening lifespan, disrupting intestinal function, and altering expression of stress-related genes. The results demonstrate that microplastic size influences toxicity and that even environmentally relevant concentrations cause measurable harm.
Bioaccessibility of plastic-related compounds from polymeric particles in marine settings: Are microplastics the principal vector of phthalate ester congeners and bisphenol A towards marine vertebrates?
Researchers studied whether microplastics are a major pathway for delivering harmful plastic chemicals like phthalates and bisphenol A to marine animals during digestion. They found that while microplastics do release these compounds under simulated gut conditions, the amounts were relatively low compared to other environmental sources. The study suggests that microplastics may not be the primary route of chemical exposure for marine vertebrates, though they still contribute to the overall burden.
Polylactic acid microparticles in the range of μg/L reduce reproductive capacity by affecting the gonad development and the germline apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers exposed C. elegans nematodes to polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics — a supposedly biodegradable plastic — at microgram-per-liter concentrations and found significant reductions in reproductive capacity driven by impaired gonad development and increased programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the germline.
Neurotoxicity induced by aged microplastics from plastic bowls: Abnormal neurotransmission in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that microplastics released from aged plastic bowls caused nerve damage in the roundworm C. elegans at environmentally realistic concentrations. The aged microplastics disrupted neurotransmitter systems including dopamine and serotonin, leading to impaired movement. This study is concerning because it shows that everyday plastic items we use for food can release microplastics that have neurotoxic effects.
Identification of adverse outcome pathway related to high-density polyethylene microplastics exposure: Caenorhabditis elegans transcription factor RNAi screening and zebrafish study
Using C. elegans transcription factor RNAi screening and zebrafish studies, researchers identified adverse outcome pathways triggered by high-density polyethylene microplastic exposure, linking particle ingestion to specific molecular toxicity mechanisms. This systems-level approach helps bridge laboratory findings to potential human health implications of microplastic exposure.
Micro/Nanoplastics Alter Daphnia magna Life History by Disrupting Glucose Metabolism and Intestinal Structure
Micro- and nanoplastics disrupted the life history of Daphnia magna (water fleas) by interfering with hormonal signaling pathways. These findings demonstrate that plastic particles can act as endocrine disruptors in aquatic invertebrates, with potential cascading effects on freshwater food webs.
Different Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers compared the toxicity of 2-μm polystyrene microplastics and 0.1-μm nanoplastics in C. elegans, finding both impaired growth, locomotion, reproduction, and lifespan at 1 mg/L and above, with microplastics causing greater locomotion and reproductive toxicity and nanoplastics inducing stronger oxidative stress.
The toxic differentiation of micro- and nanoplastics verified by gene-edited fluorescent Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers used gene-edited fluorescent C. elegans to demonstrate that nanoplastic toxicity is size- and charge-dependent, with 100 nm positively charged polystyrene particles causing the greatest harm through intestinal accumulation and oxidative stress.
The impact of microplastic on nematodes: Soil type, plastic amount and aging as determinants for the fitness of Caenorhabditis elegans
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.
A review of the reproductive toxicity of environmental contaminants in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers review how a tiny roundworm called Caenorhabditis elegans is used to study the reproductive harm caused by environmental pollutants — including microplastics, heavy metals, and nanomaterials. Because this worm shares many genes with humans and reproduces quickly, it is a valuable early-warning system for identifying contaminants that could threaten fertility across species.
High-concentration polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics co-exposure shorten insect lifespan and impose ecological risk: Multi-omics evidence from Drosophila melanogaster
Researchers used fruit flies as a model organism to study how co-exposure to high concentrations of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affects insect lifespan. Multi-omics analysis revealed that microplastic co-exposure significantly shortened lifespan and disrupted key biological pathways, suggesting potential ecological risks from cumulative microplastic exposure in the environment.
Combined Toxicities of Di-Butyl Phthalate and Polyethylene Terephthalate to Zebrafish Embryos
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and the plasticizer di-butyl phthalate, both alone and in combination. While the microplastics alone mainly delayed hatching, the plasticizer caused severe developmental abnormalities and death. The study found that the microplastics actually reduced the toxicity of the plasticizer by adsorbing it, though they also slowed its breakdown, creating a more persistent exposure risk.