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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Dose Effect of Polyethylene Microplastics Derived from Commercial Resins on Soil Properties, Bacterial Communities, and Enzymatic Activity
ClearEarthworms 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.
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.
Responses of earthworms exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments
Researchers exposed earthworms to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments at various concentrations and studied the effects on their survival, growth, and reproduction. The microplastics affected earthworm behavior and caused measurable changes depending on concentration and exposure time. Since earthworms are critical for soil health and nutrient cycling, their sensitivity to microplastics raises concerns about how plastic pollution may degrade agricultural soils.
The effects of three different microplastics on enzyme activities and microbial communities in soil
Researchers added three types of microplastics (film PE, fiber PP, and sphere PP) to loamy and sandy soils and measured effects on enzyme activities and microbial communities, finding that all three types altered microbial community structure and nutrient-cycling enzyme activities in soil-type-dependent ways.
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.
Response of soil biochemical properties and ecosystem function to microplastics pollution
This study found that polyethylene microplastics significantly disrupted soil health by reducing enzyme activity, lowering nutrient availability, and impairing overall ecosystem function. Smaller microplastics caused more damage than larger ones, and the effects were dose-dependent, suggesting that as microplastic pollution accumulates in agricultural soil, it could increasingly threaten the soil health that food production depends on.
[Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Soil Nutrients and Enzyme Activities].
Researchers studied how different concentrations and sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect soil chemistry and enzyme activity over four months. They found that smaller microplastics had a greater impact on soil nutrient cycling than larger ones, and that higher concentrations more significantly disrupted enzyme functions critical for soil health. The study indicates that microplastic pollution in agricultural soils could impair the biological processes that maintain soil fertility.
Microplastics as Soil Emerging Pollutants: Sublethal Earthworms Answers From Poly(propene) Photodegraded
Researchers exposed the earthworm Eisenia andrei to polypropylene microplastics at various concentrations in soil for 14 days, finding sublethal effects on survival, reproduction, and oxidative stress markers that varied with MP concentration and confirmed ecotoxicological risk to soil invertebrates.
Effect of LDPE microplastics on chemical properties and microbial communities in soil
Low-density polyethylene microplastics were added to soil at varying concentrations, revealing dose-dependent effects on soil chemical properties and shifts in microbial community composition. Higher LDPE concentrations altered soil pH, nutrient availability, and bacterial diversity, raising concerns about plastic impacts on soil ecosystem function.
Impacts of polyethylene microplastics on bioavailability and toxicity of metals in soil
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect the bioavailability and toxicity of copper and nickel in soil using earthworms as test organisms. They found that adding microplastics to contaminated soil increased the bioavailability of the metals and enhanced their toxic effects on the earthworms. The study suggests that microplastics in soil can worsen heavy metal pollution by making metals more accessible and harmful to soil-dwelling organisms.
Earthworms Exposed to Polyethylene and Biodegradable Microplastics in Soil: Microplastic Characterization and Microbial Community Analysis
Researchers exposed earthworms to biodegradable and conventional polyethylene microplastics in natural soil and found that worms ingested both types. The biodegradable plastic showed signs of partial breakdown in the earthworm gut, while conventional polyethylene remained unchanged. Although microplastics did not significantly alter the soil or gut microbiome in this study, the results confirm that earthworms transport microplastics through soil ecosystems.
Microplastic-Earthworm Interactions: A Critical Review
This critical review examines how microplastics from diverse plastic waste categories accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and interact with earthworms, a key soil organism. The authors synthesize evidence on the deleterious effects of increasing microplastic concentrations on soil properties, microbiota, and earthworm physiology.
Inhibitory effect of microplastics on soil extracellular enzymatic activities by changing soil properties and direct adsorption: An investigation at the aggregate-fraction level
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect the activity of soil enzymes over 150 days, examining responses across different soil aggregate sizes. They found that microplastics inhibited enzyme activities by altering soil properties, directly adsorbing enzymes, and competing with microorganisms for space. The study reveals that microplastic pollution can undermine key biological processes that maintain soil quality, with different soil aggregate fractions responding in distinct ways.
Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the fitness of earthworms in an agricultural soil
Researchers exposed earthworms to polystyrene microplastics in agricultural soil at various concentrations. The study found that low concentrations had little effect, but high concentrations (1% and above) significantly inhibited growth and increased mortality, suggesting microplastic pollution poses ecological risks to soil organisms in terrestrial ecosystems.
High‐density polyethylene microplastics in agricultural soil: Impact on microbes, enzymes, and carbon‐nitrogen ratio
Researchers assessed the impact of high-density polyethylene microplastics at various concentrations on agricultural soil over 60 days. The study found that microplastics caused non-uniform effects on microbial populations, reduced key enzyme activities through hydrogen bond formation with enzymes, and significantly altered the soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, suggesting potential long-term consequences for soil health.
Enhancing the biodegradability and environmental impact of microplastics utilizing Eisenia fetida earthworms with treated low-density polyethylene for sustainable plastic management
Researchers used Eisenia fetida earthworms to improve the biodegradability of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics in soil, testing whether earthworm-mediated soil processing could enhance the breakdown of this persistent polymer. Earthworm activity increased LDPE fragmentation and promoted microbial colonization of plastic surfaces, suggesting vermicomposting as a strategy for managing soil plastic contamination.
The effects of polyethylene microplastics on the growth, reproduction, metabolic enzymes, and metabolomics of earthworms Eisenia fetida
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.
Effects of Microplastics on Selected Earthworm Species
Researchers tested the effects of five types of microplastics on five earthworm species over one- and three-month exposure periods, measuring survival, respiration, and detoxification enzyme activity. They found species-specific responses to different polymer types and concentrations, with some earthworms showing significant changes in glutathione s-transferase activity, a marker of chemical stress. The study highlights that microplastic impacts on soil organisms vary considerably depending on both the type of plastic and the species exposed.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on properties, enzyme activities, and the succession of microbial community in Mollisol: At the aggregate level
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect microbial properties and enzyme activities in Mollisol farmland soil at the aggregate level, using 16S rDNA sequencing and enzyme activity measurements. Low-dose PE microplastics increased the proportion of large aggregates and decreased microbial diversity in certain aggregate size fractions, with effects varying by aggregate size.
Impact of Vermicomposting with Soil Enriched with Plastic and Different Biodegradable Wastes on Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters of Soil
Researchers examined the impact of vermicomposting on soil enriched with conventional and biodegradable plastics, measuring how earthworm activity altered plastic fragmentation and soil properties. Results showed that vermicomposting accelerated the breakdown of some plastic types while earthworms ingested plastic particles, potentially dispersing them through the soil profile.
Concentration-Dependent Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Cadmium and Lead Bioavailability in Soil
Polyethylene microplastics had concentration-dependent effects on soil organisms, with low doses sometimes stimulating and higher doses inhibiting biological activity. These non-linear dose-response relationships complicate risk assessments and suggest that low-level microplastic contamination may have subtle ecological effects.
Understanding the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics on Eisenia fetida: A toxicological evaluation
Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to increasing concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in soil showed lower body weight, reduced reproductive output, and disrupted antioxidant defenses — with oxidative stress markers climbing nearly 1.3-fold at the highest dose. These findings confirm that microplastic pollution degrades soil ecosystem health at concentrations that could plausibly occur in contaminated agricultural land.
Effect of microplastics in sludge impacts on the vermicomposting
Researchers examined how adding polyethylene microplastic particles to sludge affects vermicomposting performance. The study found that higher microplastic concentrations reduced the efficiency of organic matter removal, impaired composting quality, and caused oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in earthworms, with bacterial diversity also declining in heavily contaminated treatments.
Biodegradable Polyesters and Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene in Soil: Interrelations of Material Properties, Soil Organic Matter Substances, and Microbial Community
Researchers examined how biodegradable polyesters and low molecular weight polyethylene behave in soil environments, investigating their interactions with soil organic matter and microbial communities over time. They found that both biodegradable and conventional polymer microplastics alter soil microbial community composition and interact with organic matter fractions, with biodegradable plastics showing distinct but not necessarily more benign effects than conventional plastics.