Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Diverse PerspectivesIlluminate the Intestinal Toxicityof Traditional and Biodegradable Agricultural Film Microplastics to Eisenia fetida under Varying Exposure Sequences

Researchers compared intestinal toxicity of traditional plastic agricultural films and biodegradable alternatives across multiple biological perspectives, finding that both types caused gut damage through oxidative stress and inflammation, with biodegradable MPs showing distinct but not necessarily safer toxicity profiles.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Soil application of PE and PLA microplastics alter earthworm (Eisenia nordenskioldi) gut bacterial community and soil microbiome-metabolome dynamics

Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworm gut bacteria and soil ecosystems over 120 days. They found that polyethylene had a more significant impact on soil microbial communities and metabolic processes than PLA at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study highlights that both types of microplastics can alter soil ecosystems, but conventional plastics may pose greater ecological risks.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of the potential toxicity induced by microplastics made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) on the earthworm Eisenia foetida

Researchers compared the toxicity of microplastics made from conventional PET plastic and biodegradable PLA plastic on earthworms. Surprisingly, the supposedly eco-friendly PLA particles caused more harm than PET, triggering oxidative stress, tissue damage, and behavioral changes in the worms. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are always safer for soil organisms than traditional plastics.

2024 Environmental Pollution 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of conventional versus biodegradable microplastic exposure on oxidative stress and gut microorganisms in earthworms: A comparison with two different soils

Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms in two different soil types. Both types of microplastic caused oxidative stress and altered gut microbiota in earthworms, with toxicity increasing at higher concentrations. The study found that microplastic concentration was more important than the type of plastic or soil in determining the level of harm, and that biodegradable plastics were not necessarily safer for soil organisms.

2022 Chemosphere 82 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparison of the toxicity induced by the exposure to microplastics made of a conventional and a biodegradable polymer on the earthworm Eisenia fetida

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.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Exploring the toxicity of biodegradable microplastics and imidacloprid to earthworms (Eisenia fetida) from morphological and gut microbial perspectives

Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) combined with the pesticide imidacloprid caused more severe harm to earthworms than either pollutant alone, including higher death rates, tissue damage, and disrupted gut bacteria. This is concerning because PLA plastics are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, yet they can still break down into harmful microplastics in soil. The study shows that biodegradable plastics may actually make pesticide contamination worse for soil organisms.

2023 Environmental Pollution 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Conventional vs. Biodegradable and Compostable Microplastics on Eisenia fetida S.: An Ecopathological Approach

Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable and conventional polyethylene microplastics on soil-dwelling earthworms and found that both types caused increased mortality, decreased biomass, and tissue damage after 14 days of exposure. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics are not necessarily safer than conventional ones, and that detailed tissue analysis can reveal harmful sublethal effects not captured by standard toxicity tests.

2026 Environmental Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Response of earthworms to microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation: Toxicity comparison of conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene microplastics to earthworms in soil irrigated with biogas slurry. They found that all microplastic types caused time-dependent toxicity, including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of antioxidant defense systems at higher concentrations. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may pose similar ecological risks to conventional plastics for soil organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber and mealworm Tenebrio molitor to non-degradable and biodegradable fossil-based mulching film microplastics

Researchers tested how two soil organisms, woodlice and mealworms, responded to microplastics from both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable mulching films used in farming. Both types of microplastics affected the organisms' gut bacteria and caused stress, though the effects varied by plastic type. The study challenges the assumption that biodegradable farm films are completely safe, since their microplastic fragments can still harm soil organisms important for healthy agricultural ecosystems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproduction, metabolic enzyme activity, and metabolomics in earthworms Eisenia fetida exposed to different polymer microplastics

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.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The comparison effect on earthworms between conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms over an extended exposure period. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused comparable or even greater harm than conventional plastics at certain concentrations, including reduced growth and reproduction. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer for soil organisms.

2024 Heliyon 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on earthworm Eisenia andrei in two generations

Researchers exposed earthworms (Eisenia andrei) to conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PBAT mulching film microplastics across two generations (7 months) and found that both types caused reproductive and growth effects, with impacts accumulating across generations under environmentally relevant concentrations.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

Integrated microbiota and multi-omics analysis reveal the differential responses of earthworm to conventional and biodegradable microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation

Researchers compared how conventional and biodegradable microplastics from agricultural mulch films affect earthworms in soil treated with biogas slurry fertilizer. Using multi-omics analysis, they found that both types of microplastics disrupted earthworm gut bacteria and metabolic pathways, though through different molecular mechanisms. The study suggests that biodegradable plastic alternatives may still pose risks to soil organisms that warrant further investigation.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity comparison of multiple biodegradable and conventional microplastics on earthworms: Ingestion, tissue damage, oxidative stress, and transcriptional responses

This study compared the toxicity of four biodegradable microplastics and conventional polyethylene microplastics on earthworms across multiple biological endpoints. Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics caused tissue damage, oxidative stress, and altered gene expression at levels comparable to or sometimes exceeding conventional plastics, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are inherently safer for soil organisms.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Reassessing Whether Biodegradable Microplastics Are Environmentally Friendly: Differences in Earthworm Physiological Responses and Soil Carbon Function Impacts

Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional (PP, PS) and biodegradable (PLA, PHA) microplastics on earthworm physiology and soil carbon function in haplic phaeozem soil. Biodegradable MPs were not environmentally friendly — PLA and PHA caused comparable or greater physiological stress in earthworms and disrupted soil carbon cycling to a similar degree as conventional plastics.

2025 Antioxidants
Article Tier 2

Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei

Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei using an eight-week reproduction test across seven concentration levels. Both polymer types affected earthworm survival, reproduction, and oxidative stress markers, raising questions about whether biodegradable alternatives pose similar soil ecosystem risks.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Different mulch films, consistent results: soil fauna responses to microplastic

Scientists compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA/PBAT microplastics affect earthworms and springtails in soil over 28 days. Neither plastic type significantly harmed reproduction, but subtle cellular stress responses were detected, and the effects were similar for both conventional and biodegradable plastics, suggesting that biodegradable alternatives may not be safer for soil organisms.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics stress on soil physicochemical properties mediated by earthworm Eisenia fetida

Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of two sizes and found that smaller particles (13 micrometers) were more toxic than larger ones (130 micrometers), reducing survival and growth more severely. The microplastics caused oxidative stress in the worms and altered key soil properties including pH and organic carbon content. Since earthworms play a vital role in maintaining healthy soil for agriculture, this damage could affect soil quality and ultimately the food grown in microplastic-contaminated farmland.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics originated from agricultural mulching films affect enchytraeid multigeneration reproduction and soil properties

This study tested microplastics from real agricultural mulching films, both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable types, on small soil worms over multiple generations. Even biodegradable film microplastics reduced worm reproduction and altered soil properties like pH and water-holding capacity. The results show that microplastics from agricultural plastics, including supposedly eco-friendly alternatives, can harm soil organisms and threaten long-term soil health and food production.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable microplastics exert differential impacts from polyethylene on pesticide fate in soil-earthworm systems: insights into degradation selectivity and microbial mechanisms

This study compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics affect pesticide behavior in soil with earthworms. Researchers found that PLA at high concentrations actually accelerated pesticide breakdown and increased the accumulation of pesticide byproducts in earthworms by up to 82%, while also causing oxidative stress and gut bacteria disruption, suggesting biodegradable plastics may pose their own set of environmental risks.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations