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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Effects of polyethylene microplastics stress on soil physicochemical properties mediated by earthworm Eisenia fetida
ClearUnderstanding 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.
Ecotoxicological effects of different size ranges of industrial-grade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on earthworms Eisenia fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to industrial-grade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics of various sizes and found that the worms ingested all types of particles tested. The microplastics caused oxidative stress and DNA damage in the earthworms, with the severity depending on both the size and type of plastic. Gene analysis revealed that exposure disrupted pathways related to nervous system function, oxidative stress, and inflammation, indicating that microplastics pose ecological risks to important soil organisms.
Toxicological effects of polystyrene microplastics on earthworm (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers exposed earthworms to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics in soil for 14 days and found evidence of intestinal cell damage, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. The larger particles accumulated more in earthworm intestines, while both sizes triggered changes in key antioxidant markers. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination in soil can cause measurable biological harm to important soil organisms.
Effect of polyethylene microplastics on tebuconazole bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and intestinal bacterial community in earthworms
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes alongside a common fungicide and found that smaller microplastics caused the most severe oxidative stress and DNA damage. The microplastics also changed how much fungicide accumulated in the earthworms and disrupted their gut bacteria. This matters because earthworms are essential for soil health, and these effects could ripple through agricultural ecosystems that produce our food.
Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics in Agricultural Soil on Eisenia fetida (Annelida: Oligochaeta) Behavior, Biomass, and Mortality
Scientists tested how polyethylene microplastics in agricultural soil affected the behavior, body mass, and survival of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Researchers found that earthworms actively avoided soil contaminated with microplastics and experienced changes in biomass at higher concentrations. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in farmland could negatively affect soil-dwelling organisms that play a key role in maintaining soil health.
Effects of polyvinyl chloride and low-density polyethylene microplastics on oxidative stress and mitochondria function of earthworm (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers exposed earthworms to PVC and polyethylene microplastics in soil and measured the effects on oxidative stress and mitochondrial function. Both plastic types caused significant cellular damage, with PVC proving more harmful by generating higher levels of reactive oxygen species and more severely disrupting the energy-producing mitochondria. The study provides evidence that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils could harm the earthworms that play a critical role in maintaining soil health.
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.
Oxidative stress, energy metabolism and molecular responses of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastics
Researchers exposed earthworms to various concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics for 28 days and measured oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and molecular responses. The study found dose-dependent increases in oxidative damage markers and alterations in energy reserves, suggesting that microplastic contamination in soils can trigger measurable physiological stress in soil invertebrates.
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.
Defense responses in earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastics in soils
Researchers exposed earthworms to low-density polyethylene microplastics in soil at various concentrations for 28 days. They found that the earthworms ingested microplastics in a dose-dependent manner and actually broke some particles into smaller pieces during digestion, with about 30% more particles under 100 micrometers found in their excrement compared to the original soil. At higher concentrations, the microplastics triggered oxidative stress and neurotoxic responses, suggesting potential ecological risks to soil organisms.
Transcriptomic and metabolic responses of earthworms to contaminated soil with polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations
Researchers studied how environmentally realistic concentrations of polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics affect earthworms at the molecular level. They found that both plastic types triggered oxidative stress, damaged digestive and immune systems, disrupted lipid metabolism, and altered the earthworms' ability to regulate water balance. The study suggests that even at concentrations commonly found in the environment, microplastic-contaminated soil poses measurable health risks to earthworms.
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.
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.
Negligible effects of microplastics on animal fitness and HOC bioaccumulation in earthworm Eisenia fetida in soil
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics at concentrations up to 20 percent of soil dry weight and measured oxidative stress biomarkers. While the highest concentration caused some biochemical changes, no significant effects were observed at 10 percent or below, which covers most realistic environmental scenarios. The study also found that microplastics reduced the bioaccumulation of PAHs and PCBs in earthworm tissues, suggesting that the particles may actually limit the uptake of certain organic pollutants in soil organisms.
Assessing the presence of microplastic particles in Tunisian agriculture soils and their potential toxicity effects using Eisenia andrei as bioindicator
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in Tunisian agricultural soils under different farming practices, including organic farming, greenhouses, mulching, and wastewater irrigation. They found that earthworms readily ingested the microplastics, with particles from mulched and wastewater-irrigated soils causing significant oxidative stress in the worms. The study provides new evidence that agricultural microplastics pose a real threat to soil-dwelling organisms and terrestrial ecosystems.
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.
Adverse effects of microplastics on earthworms: A critical review
This critical review of 65 publications summarized the adverse effects of microplastics on earthworms, finding impacts on growth, behavior, oxidative stress, gene expression, and gut microbiota, with particle size, concentration, and co-occurring pollutants influencing toxicity outcomes.
Microplastics - Back to Reality: Impact of Pristine and Aged Microplastics in Soil on Earthworm Eisenia fetida under Environmentally Relevant Conditions
Researchers compared the effects of new versus sunlight-aged polyethylene microplastics on earthworms at real-world contamination levels, finding that aged particles caused more harm. The aged microplastics accumulated more in earthworm guts, caused greater tissue damage, and shifted gut bacteria away from beneficial species toward harmful ones. This is significant because most microplastics in the environment have been aged by sunlight, meaning their actual impact on soil health and the food chain may be worse than lab studies using fresh plastics suggest.
Microplastic digestion generates fragmented nanoplastics in soils and damages earthworm spermatogenesis and coelomocyte viability
Researchers discovered that earthworms can fragment polyethylene microplastics into even smaller nanoplastics through their digestive process in soil. The study also found that microplastic exposure damaged earthworm reproductive cells and immune cells, suggesting that the biological breakdown of microplastics in soil creates smaller particles that may be even more concerning for ecosystem health.
Combined ecotoxicological effects of different-sized polyethylene microplastics and imidacloprid on the earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers exposed earthworms to different sizes of polyethylene microplastics combined with the pesticide imidacloprid and found that particle size significantly influenced the combined toxic effects. Smaller microplastics tended to increase pesticide toxicity more than larger ones, affecting earthworm survival, growth, and antioxidant responses. The findings highlight how microplastic size matters when assessing the joint environmental risks of plastic pollution and agricultural chemicals in soil.