Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Use of Midge Chironomus riparius Larvae in Plastic Ecotoxicity Studies and Peculiarities of Their Responses

This study uses midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) — a standard ecotoxicology test organism — to investigate how microplastics affect freshwater sediment-dwelling insects, reviewing both what is known and the peculiarities of chironomid responses compared to other test species. Chironomids are important because they represent benthic organisms that live in direct contact with plastic-contaminated sediments, making them a biologically relevant model for bottom sediment microplastic risk assessment.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence, detection and removal with emphasis on insect larvae gut microbiota

This review covers the sources, detection methods, and toxic effects of microplastics across ecosystems, with a special focus on insect larvae gut microbiota as a biological degradation tool. Researchers found that certain insect larvae, such as mealworms and waxworms, harbor gut bacteria capable of breaking down plastic polymers. The study highlights biological degradation by insect-associated microbes as a promising avenue for microplastic remediation.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 33 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

Isolation of Plastic Digesting Microbes from the Gastrointestinal Tract of Tenebrio Molitor

Researchers isolated bacteria from the gut of Tenebrio molitor mealworm larvae that are capable of degrading polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics. The identified gut microbes showed plastic-degrading enzymatic activity, suggesting potential for bioremediation applications.

2024 1 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

Microplastic Exposure Across Trophic Levels: Effects on the Host Microbiota of Freshwater Organisms

Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects the gut bacteria communities of freshwater organisms including fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans. Microplastics—particularly when combined with pesticides—altered gut microbiota composition, which could impair digestion, immunity, and overall health of freshwater species.

2021 1 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

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

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

Effect of microplastics on ecosystem functioning: Microbial nitrogen removal mediated by benthic invertebrates

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in freshwater sediments where chironomid larvae and microorganisms coexist. They found that while microplastics and larvae each individually promoted nitrogen removal by boosting denitrifying bacteria, combining them together produced less benefit than expected. The study suggests that rising microplastic concentrations may disrupt the natural nitrogen cycling that benthic invertebrates help maintain in freshwater ecosystems.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 139 citations
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

Shedding microplastics: metamorphosis as a potential detoxification mechanism for microplastics in Chironomus riparius

Researchers exposed midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) to microplastics throughout their life cycle and found that the particles significantly delayed development. Notably, the shed exoskeletons retained far more microplastic particles than the adult insects, suggesting that metamorphosis may serve as a natural mechanism for eliminating ingested microplastics. The findings point to a previously unrecognized route by which freshwater invertebrates can reduce their internal microplastic burden.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics shape the black soldier fly larvae gut microbiome and select for biodegrading functions

Researchers found that black soldier fly larvae can adapt their gut microbiome to digest a wide range of plastics, shifting their microbial communities to favor biodegrading functions. This suggests the insects could serve as living incubators for discovering new plastic-breaking enzymes for industrial cleanup applications.

2023 Microbiome 59 citations
Article Tier 2

How microplastics influence the health and microbiota of aquatic invertebrates: A review

This review examines how microplastics affect the health and microbiota of aquatic invertebrates, an area that has received less attention than fish studies. Researchers summarize evidence showing that microplastics cause toxicity at biological and molecular levels, alter microbial communities associated with invertebrate hosts, and interact with climate change and other pollutants to produce combined effects. The study highlights significant knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions for understanding microplastic impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of exposure to microplastics and pollutants on the arthropod microbiome

This thesis investigated how microplastics and other pollutants (pesticides, detergents, metals) affect the gut microbiome of freshwater invertebrates. Disruption of the host-microbiome relationship by microplastics could impair immune function and overall health in aquatic organisms that form important parts of the food web.

2021 Digital comprehensive summaries of Uppsala dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure across trophic levels: effects on the host–microbiota of freshwater organisms

Researchers examined how microplastic exposure across trophic levels affects the gut microbiota of freshwater organisms, finding that microplastics alter microbial community composition and that effects can transfer through food web interactions.

2022 Environmental Microbiome 29 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

Novel Autochthonous Strains from Cyprinus carpio as Candidates for Probiotic Use and Microplastic-Degrading Properties

Researchers isolated six bacterial genera from the gut of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and identified two novel Hafnia strains with both probiotic potential and microplastic-degrading properties, suggesting a dual role for gut bacteria in fish health and environmental bioremediation.

2025 Meat Technology
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of nylon microplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers and effects on gut microbial community of Chironomus sancticaroli

Researchers investigated how nylon microplastics alone and combined with polybrominated diphenyl ethers affect Chironomus larvae, finding that microplastics altered gut microbial community composition and facilitated PBDE bioaccumulation in the organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil fauna Protaetia brevitarsis mediated polyethylene microplastic biodegradation

Researchers found that larvae of the beetle Protaetia brevitarsis can biodegrade polyethylene microplastics in soil, with gut microbiome analysis revealing specific bacterial communities responsible for PE degradation, suggesting potential for insect-mediated plastic bioremediation.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 2 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

Understanding the Ecological Robustness and Adaptability of the Gut Microbiome in Plastic-Degrading Superworms (Zophobas atratus) in Response to Microplastics and Antibiotics

Researchers studied superworms (Zophobas atratus larvae) that can eat and break down five major types of plastic, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. They found that the gut microbiome of these insects adapted to digest different plastics even when challenged with antibiotics, suggesting the larvae and their gut bacteria work together in a robust system that could inform future plastic biodegradation strategies.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 20 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

Decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworm's guts: A potential for soil restoration

Researchers isolated bacteria from earthworm guts that were able to degrade low-density polyethylene, demonstrating that intestinal microbes from soil invertebrates may play a role in plastic breakdown. The findings suggest that earthworm gut microbiomes are a reservoir of plastic-degrading bacteria with potential applications for bioremediation of LDPE-contaminated soils.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 436 citations