Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the hazard of irregularly-shaped co-polyamide microplastics on the freshwater non-biting midge Chironomus riparius through its life cycle

Laboratory experiments exposed the freshwater midge Chironomus riparius to irregularly shaped co-polyamide microplastics across its full life cycle, finding effects on survival, development, and reproduction at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study highlights that real-world plastic shapes and polymers, not just the smooth spheres commonly used in tests, can harm freshwater invertebrates.

2019 Chemosphere 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Multigenerational effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater benthic invertebrates, Chironomus tepperi

Researchers exposed the freshwater benthic midge Chironomus tepperi to polyethylene microplastics (8-20 µm) in sediment at four environmentally relevant concentrations over two generations, finding no significant effects on growth but significant decreases in survival and emergence rates at the highest concentration (1,000 MPs/kg) in both generations. Metabolic analyses were conducted to further characterize sublethal mechanisms of MP toxicity in this common stormwater sediment organism.

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

Chironomus riparius molecular response to polystyrene primary microplastics

Researchers examined the molecular response of the aquatic midge larva Chironomus riparius to polystyrene primary microplastics, investigating how these emerging contaminants affect gene expression in this standard toxicology test organism.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Chironomus riparius Larval Gut Bacteriobiota and Its Potential in Microplastic Degradation

Researchers characterized the gut bacteria of Chironomus riparius midge larvae and identified strains with plastic-degrading enzyme potential, suggesting that the gut microbiome of sediment-dwelling invertebrates may play a role in breaking down ingested microplastics in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Microbial Ecology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to a microplastic mixture is altering the life traits and is causing deformities in the non-biting midge Chironomus riparius Meigen (1804)

Chironomid midge larvae exposed to a realistic mixture of four microplastic types across water, sediment, and surface compartments showed prolonged development time, reduced emergence, and deformities in wing, mandible, and mentum shape, demonstrating that environmentally relevant microplastic mixtures cause sublethal developmental harm.

2020 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the microplastic pollution impact on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae development and emergence

Researchers studied how PET microplastics affect the development and emergence of Chironomus midge larvae, an important freshwater insect. They found that microplastic exposure altered larval development and reduced successful adult emergence. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems could disrupt the life cycles of aquatic insects, which are vital to food webs and ecosystem health.

2024 Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms influencing the impact of microplastics on freshwater benthic invertebrates: Uptake dynamics and adverse effects on Chironomus riparius

Researchers studied the factors influencing microplastic uptake and toxicity in the freshwater midge Chironomus riparius using experimental data and agent-based modeling. They found that high concentrations of small microplastics fill the insect gut, are eliminated more slowly than natural particles, and cause damage to gut tissue that leads to reduced growth and delayed development. The study suggests that microplastic concentrations in some freshwater hotspots may already be high enough to cause adverse effects in wild populations.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Chironomus sp. as a Bioindicator for Assessing Microplastic Contamination and the Heavy Metals Associated with It in the Sediment of Wastewater in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Researchers used Chironomus midge larvae as bioindicators to assess microplastic contamination in wastewater environments in upper Egypt. The study found red and blue polyester fibers were the most common microplastics, and successfully detected microplastic particles inside the larvae, demonstrating that these organisms can serve as useful indicators of plastic pollution in aquatic systems.

2023 Water Air & Soil Pollution 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polyurethane Small-Sized Microplastics in the Chironomid, Chironomus riparius: Responses at Organismal and Sub-Organismal Levels

This study exposed the freshwater chironomid Chironomus riparius to polyurethane microplastics (7-9 micrometers) and found dose-dependent effects on survival, growth, and oxidative stress markers. The results indicate polyurethane microplastics are toxic to this widely used aquatic invertebrate indicator species.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of small-sized and irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics affect Chironomus riparius life-history traits

Researchers exposed freshwater midge larvae to irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics of different size classes and found that larvae preferentially ingested the smallest particles (32-63 micrometers) regardless of what sizes were available. Ingestion of these small particles significantly reduced larval growth and delayed adult emergence at relatively low concentrations. The findings suggest that small, irregularly shaped microplastics, which are the most common form in natural sediments, may pose a greater risk to benthic organisms than larger particles.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 171 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic hazards in freshwater ecosystems using chironomid larvae: insights from the Ergene River, European part of Türkiye

Researchers used chironomid (midge) larvae collected from the Ergene River in Turkey — a waterway heavily impacted by industrial discharge — as bioindicators and found microplastics in their guts, with the abundance and type of plastics reflecting local pollution sources. Because chironomids are a key food source for fish and birds, their microplastic burden represents a pathway for plastics to move up the freshwater food chain.

2026 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Suborganismal responses of the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius to polyethylene microplastics

Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to polyethylene microplastics and used transcriptomics and metabolomics to characterize suborganismal responses, finding disruption of oxidative stress pathways, energy metabolism, and cuticle synthesis — effects not captured by standard life-history endpoints alone.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Metabolomic responses in freshwater benthic invertebrate, Chironomus tepperi, exposed to polyethylene microplastics: A two-generational investigation

Researchers examined metabolomic changes in the freshwater midge Chironomus tepperi exposed to polyethylene microplastics across two generations, finding that environmentally relevant concentrations altered metabolite profiles and negatively affected survival and emergence.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of microplastics and natural particles in the freshwater dipteran Chironomus riparius: Same same but different?

Larvae of the freshwater midge Chironomus riparius were chronically exposed to PVC microplastics and natural particles (kaolin, diatomite) alone and combined with the pesticide imidacloprid for 28 days, with effects observed only at high PVC concentrations but with interactions noted between particles and the insecticide. The study suggests that natural particles are not consistently more benign than microplastics at equal concentrations.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Beneath the surface: Decoding the impact of Chironomus riparius bioturbation on microplastic dispersion in sedimentary matrix

Researchers investigated how the burrowing activity of midge larvae affects the movement of microplastics through lake and river sediments. They found that the larvae's bioturbation activity pushed microplastic particles deeper into the sediment, and the presence of microplastics in turn influenced the intensity of the larvae's burrowing behavior. The study highlights how bottom-dwelling organisms can act as unintentional transporters of microplastic pollution within freshwater ecosystems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Downsizing plastics, upsizing impact: How microplastic particle size affects Chironomus riparius bioturbation activity

This study tested how different sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect the burrowing behavior of freshwater midge larvae, which play an important role in mixing and aerating lake and river sediments. Smaller microplastics were ingested more readily and disrupted the larvae's sediment-mixing activity more than larger particles. Since these organisms are critical for healthy freshwater ecosystems, the findings suggest that small microplastics could disrupt nutrient cycling in lakes and rivers.

2025 Environmental Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and natural stressors on Chironomus riparius life-history traits

Researchers examined combined effects of polyethylene microplastics with temperature, salinity, and food stress on the midge Chironomus riparius, finding that microplastic effects on life-history traits were modulated by these natural stressors in ways not predicted by simple additive models.

2022 Environmental Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of anthropogenic activities on microplastics in deposit-feeders (Diptera: Chironomidae) in an urban river of Taiwan

Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and types in midge larvae (Chironomidae) from an urban river and found that multiple anthropogenic activities including industrial discharge, agriculture, and residential runoff were associated with elevated microplastic levels in these freshwater deposit-feeders.

2021 Scientific Reports 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates

Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.

2018 Environmental Pollution 317 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on Allonais inaequalis, Chironomus sancticaroli and Daphnia magna under conventional and stressful exposures

Lab experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics caused toxic effects in three freshwater invertebrates — a worm, a midge larva, and a water flea — under both standard and stressful conditions. The results indicate microplastics pose a real threat to freshwater biodiversity across different aquatic species.

2020 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variations of microplastic in sediment, Chironomus sp. larvae, and chironomid tubes in two wastewater sites in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Researchers in Egypt found microplastics in wastewater-site sediments, chironomid midge larvae, and even the silk tubes the larvae construct, with contamination highest near greater pollution sources and varying across seasons. The discovery that microplastics accumulate in the physical structures built by aquatic insects—not just their bodies—reveals a previously overlooked pathway by which plastic particles can persist and concentrate in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative damage and decreased aerobic energy production due to ingestion of polyethylene microplastics by Chironomus riparius (Diptera) larvae

Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to three size classes of polyethylene microplastics and found that all sizes were ingested, causing oxidative damage and reduced aerobic energy production, with the smallest particles causing the greatest harm.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Biological responses of Chironomus sancticaroli to exposure to naturally aged PP microplastics under realistic concentrations

This study exposed Chironomus sancticaroli midge larvae to naturally UV-aged polypropylene microplastics at environmentally relevant sediment concentrations and found dose- and time-dependent ingestion, along with biochemical toxicity markers including elevated lipid peroxidation and reduced catalase activity after 144 hours.

2023 Ecotoxicology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Biological responses of Chironomus sancticaroli to exposure to naturally aged PP microplastics under realistic concentrations

Researchers studied the toxicity of naturally aged polypropylene microplastics (26 micrometers, UV-aged) to larvae of Chironomus sancticaroli at ecologically realistic concentrations of 13.5, 67.5, and 135 items per gram of dry sediment over 144 hours, assessing fragment ingestion, mortality, and enzymatic biomarker changes. They found that organisms ingested microplastics from the first 48 hours, with internalized quantities increasing with exposure concentration, providing evidence of realistic-concentration biological responses in this freshwater dipteran species.

2022 Research Square (Research Square)