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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Ecologically different earthworm species are the driving force of microbial hotspots influencing Pb uptake by the leafy vegetable Brassica campestris
ClearSynergistic Effects of Earthworms and Plants on Chromium Removal from Acidic and Alkaline Soils: Biological Responses and Implications
Not relevant to microplastics — this study examines how earthworms and plants work together to remove chromium from contaminated soils, testing bioremediation effectiveness across different soil acidities and pollution levels.
Exploring the Role of Selective Earthworm Species in Microbial-Mediated Heavy Metal Conversion: Implications for Environmental Bioremediation
This review examines how selective earthworm species enhance microbial activity in soils contaminated with heavy metals, finding that earthworm-mediated changes to microbial communities can accelerate metal transformation processes and support sustainable bioremediation strategies.
Micro plastic driving changes in the soil microbes and lettuce growth under the influence of heavy metals contaminated soil
Researchers studied how microplastics interact with heavy metals in contaminated soil and their combined effects on lettuce growth and soil bacteria. Different types of microplastics altered soil chemistry and changed which microbes thrived, sometimes making heavy metals more available to plants. The study suggests that microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil could affect both the safety and nutritional quality of leafy vegetables that people eat.
Polylactic acid microplastics and earthworms drive cadmium bioaccumulation and toxicity in the soil–radish health community
Researchers examined how polylactic acid microplastics combined with earthworm activity affect cadmium uptake and toxicity in radish plants grown in contaminated soil. The combined treatment significantly increased cadmium accumulation in both roots and leaves while reducing plant biomass by approximately 75% compared to cadmium exposure alone. The findings suggest that biodegradable microplastics and soil fauna together can amplify heavy metal contamination risks in food crops.
Microplastics impact the accumulation of metals in earthworms by changing the gut bacterial communities
Researchers exposed earthworms to three sizes of polystyrene microplastics (0.1, 10, and 100 micrometers) to study effects on metal accumulation and gut bacteria. The study found that microplastics reduced nickel and lead accumulation in earthworms while significantly altering gut bacterial communities. The results suggest that microplastics influence heavy metal bioavailability in soil organisms by changing gut microbiome composition.
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.
Earthworms Significantly Alter the Composition, Diversity, Abundance and Pathogen Load of Fungal Communities in Sewage Sludge from Different Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants
Earthworms exposed to microplastic-contaminated soil were found to significantly alter the composition, diversity, and abundance of potentially pathogenic soil bacteria, suggesting that earthworm bioturbation in MP-contaminated soils may have unintended effects on soil microbiome health.
Impacts of microplastics and heavy metals on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and on soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus
Researchers found that co-contamination by polypropylene microplastics and heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Zn) had synergistic adverse effects on earthworms and soil quality, reducing organic carbon and nitrogen levels more than either contaminant alone.
Microplastic-Mediated Heavy Metal Uptake in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.): Implications for Food Safety and Agricultural Sustainability
Researchers grew lettuce in contaminated soil mixed with different types of microplastics, including fibers, glitter, and fragments from bags and bottles. They found that microplastics altered how heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and copper moved through the soil and into the plants, sometimes increasing uptake of toxic metals in roots while decreasing others in leaves. The results raise concerns about food safety in agricultural areas where both microplastic and heavy metal contamination overlap.
Cadmium and copper absorption by Eisenia fetida in the presence of different concentrations of microplastics
Researchers exposed earthworms (Eisenia fetida) to soil containing tire-derived microplastics alongside heavy metals cadmium and copper, finding that the microplastics increased the worms' uptake of both toxic metals. The results suggest that microplastics in soil act as carriers that make heavy metal contamination more bioavailable and dangerous for soil-dwelling organisms.
Earthworm-microbiome interactions: Unlocking next-generation bioindicators and bioengineered solutions for soil and environmental health
This review explores how earthworms and their associated microbiomes can serve as bioindicators of soil contamination from pollutants including microplastics. Changes in earthworm gut microbial communities can act as early warning signals of soil pollution, and engineered earthworm-microbiome systems show potential for environmental remediation. The study suggests that understanding these biological interactions could lead to new biomonitoring tools for assessing microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.
Microplastics exert minor influence on bacterial community succession during the aging of earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) casts
Researchers exposed earthworms to three types of microplastics commonly used in agricultural films and found that while microplastics altered some soil chemistry during gut passage, they had only minor effects on the overall bacterial communities in earthworm castings over 180 days. This suggests that earthworm gut microbiomes may be resilient enough to buffer the impact of agricultural microplastic contamination under the conditions tested.
Effects of naturally aged microplastics on arsenic and cadmium accumulation in lettuce: Insights into rhizosphere microecology
Researchers studied how naturally aged microplastics in soil affect the uptake of arsenic and cadmium by lettuce. At low concentrations, microplastics actually reduced heavy metal absorption and helped plant growth, but at higher concentrations they increased the amount of toxic metals taken up by the lettuce. This means microplastic-contaminated farmland could lead to higher levels of heavy metals in salad greens and other vegetables that people eat.
Uptake of Potentially Toxic Elements in Microplastic-Contaminated Soils: A Controlled Laboratory Study Using Eisenia Fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to tire-derived microplastics in soil and found that levels above 100 mg/g caused significant buildup of toxic heavy metals — including chromium, lead, tin, and zinc — inside the worms' bodies. This shows microplastics act as carriers that help move harmful metals from soil into living organisms.
Effect of Microplastics on the Bioavailability of (Semi-)Metals in the Soil Earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the uptake of cadmium and arsenic by earthworms in paddy soil. They found that microplastics altered the soil chemistry in ways that changed how much of these metals the earthworms absorbed, with effects varying by metal type and concentration. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated agricultural soils can influence how toxic metals move through the food chain.
Microplastic distribution and transport in agricultural soils : from field to burrow scale
Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and transport of microplastics in agricultural soils through field surveys and laboratory experiments. They found that sewage sludge amendments led to significantly higher microplastic contamination than mineral fertilizers, and that earthworm activity was a key mechanism for moving plastic particles deeper into soil. The study highlights the importance of accounting for both horizontal and vertical microplastic transport in soils when assessing agricultural pollution.
Microplastics and earthworms in soils: A case study on translocation, toxicity and fate
This conference abstract presents research on how earthworms in agricultural soils interact with microplastics, examining whether worms translocate particles deeper into soil, experience toxic effects, and alter the fate of microplastic contamination. Earthworms are key soil engineers, and their exposure to microplastics could have cascading effects on soil health.
Leaching of microplastics by preferential flow in earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) burrows
This study showed that earthworms can ingest microplastics from soil surfaces and transport them through their burrows into deeper soil layers via preferential flow pathways. The findings suggest earthworm activity contributes to the vertical movement of microplastics through soil profiles, with implications for groundwater contamination.
Responses of earthworm Metaphire vulgaris gut microbiota to arsenic and nanoplastics contamination
Researchers found that co-exposure to nanoplastics and arsenic significantly altered earthworm gut microbiota composition, with nanoplastics influencing arsenic biotransformation in the gut, revealing previously unknown interactions between these two soil contaminants.
Ecotoxicological effects of polyethylene microplastics and lead (Pb) on the biomass, activity, and community diversity of soil microbes
A soil experiment found that polyethylene microplastics made lead (a toxic heavy metal) more available in soil and worsened its harmful effects on soil microorganisms. The combination reduced beneficial enzyme activity, lowered microbial efficiency, and shifted the soil microbial community, suggesting that microplastic pollution in contaminated soils could amplify heavy metal toxicity in ways that ultimately affect food crops and human health.
Differential Impactsof Conventional and BiodegradableMicroplastics on Cadmium Transfer in a Soil-Earthworm-Lettuce System
A microcosm experiment tested how conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected cadmium transfer in a soil-earthworm-lettuce system. High doses of conventional MPs increased cadmium in plant shoots by 54% and in earthworms by 80%, while biodegradable MPs had less effect, suggesting polymer type matters for metal contamination risk in agroecosystems.
Leaching of microplastics enhanced through complex soil meso- and macrofaunal community transport
A mesocosm experiment showed that soil invertebrates — including earthworms and collembolans — actively transport microplastics deeper into the soil profile, significantly accelerating the downward movement of plastic particles beyond what occurs through water alone. This finding is important because it means microplastics can migrate more quickly into deeper soil layers and potentially into groundwater, expanding their environmental footprint well beyond the surface.
Earthworm activity effectively mitigated the negative impact of microplastics on maize growth
Researchers investigated whether earthworms could help reduce the harmful effects of microplastic contamination on soil and crop growth. They found that earthworm activity increased soil nutrient content, boosted microbial diversity, and promoted maize growth even in microplastic-polluted soil. The study suggests that earthworms may serve as a natural tool for managing agricultural soils contaminated with plastic particles.
The effects of high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on the soil and earthworm Metaphire guillelmi gut microbiota
Researchers exposed earthworms to soil amended with high-density polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics for 28 days and examined changes in both the earthworm gut and soil microbial communities. They found that both types of microplastics significantly altered the composition and diversity of gut bacteria in the earthworms. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in soil can disrupt the gut microbiota of soil organisms, with potential consequences for soil ecosystem health.