Papers

61,005 results
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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

Detecting Cd adaptation footprint in C. riparius with a multi-genomic approach

This study investigated whether midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) have genetically adapted to cadmium exposure in contaminated freshwater sediments. Using genomic analysis, the researchers found evidence of both genetic adaptation and physiological tolerance to cadmium in populations from polluted sites. While not directly about microplastics, the study contributes to understanding how aquatic organisms adapt to combined chemical stressors, of which microplastics are one.

2021 3 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

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

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

Size over substance: Microplastic particle size drives gene expression and fitness loss in a freshwater insect

Researchers exposed freshwater midge larvae to polyamide and polyvinyl chloride microplastics of different sizes and found that particle size mattered more than plastic type in determining harm. Smaller microplastics triggered stronger stress responses at the gene level, including oxidative stress and immune activation, and caused greater reductions in reproduction and survival. The findings suggest that size should be a primary consideration when assessing microplastic risks to aquatic life.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Altered gene expression in Chironomus riparius (insecta) in response to tire rubber and polystyrene microplastics

Researchers investigated changes in gene expression in the aquatic insect Chironomus riparius after exposure to polystyrene and tire rubber microplastics. The study found that both types of microplastics altered the expression of genes involved in stress response and detoxification, suggesting that microplastic pollution can cause molecular-level effects in freshwater organisms even at sublethal concentrations.

2021 Environmental Pollution 73 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

A multigenerational study can detect the evolutionary response to BaP exposure in the non-biting freshwater midge Chironomus riparius

Researchers used whole-genome sequencing of mutation accumulation lines to show that high-concentration benzo(a)pyrene exposure increases germline mutation rates in the freshwater midge Chironomus riparius across generations, while simultaneously reducing population fitness without triggering rapid evolutionary adaptation.

2024 Chemosphere 5 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

Polyethylene microplastics induced lipidomic responses in Chironomus tepperi: A two-generational exploration

Scientists studied how polyethylene microplastics affected the fat and energy metabolism of freshwater midges across two generations, finding disrupted lipid profiles at environmentally realistic concentrations. The first generation showed a mixed response where low concentrations stimulated certain fats while high concentrations suppressed them, but offspring that continued to be exposed showed different metabolic changes. The good news is that offspring not exposed to microplastics showed no carry-over effects, suggesting the damage may be reversible.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the potential toxicity of UV-weathered virgin polyamide microplastics to non-biting midge Chironomus riparius

Researchers conducted OECD-compliant life cycle experiments exposing Chironomus riparius midges to both virgin and UV-weathered polyamide microplastics, finding that weathered particles at 1000 mg/kg caused significant reductions in emergence rate and body size, and that trans-generational toxicity persisted into unexposed offspring.

2021 Environmental Pollution 44 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

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 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

A fit-for-purpose categorization scheme for microplastic morphologies

Researchers studied the long-term effects of polypropylene microplastic exposure on the life history traits of the water flea Daphnia magna across three generations, finding progressively increasing reproductive impairment and reduced survival in successive generations. The multigenerational impacts exceeded those observed in single-generation tests.

2022 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 18 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

Immune response triggered by the ingestion of polyethylene microplastics in the dipteran larvae Chironomus riparius

Ingestion of polyethylene microplastics by Chironomus riparius dipteran larvae activated their innate immune system, as evidenced by upregulation of the phenoloxidase pathway, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion triggers measurable immune responses in aquatic insect larvae.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Epigenetic and Gene Expression Responses in Daphnia magna to Polyethylene and Polystyrene Microplastics

Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia magna) to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and examined changes at the genetic and molecular level. They found that the microplastics altered DNA methylation patterns and disrupted the expression of genes involved in reproduction and stress response. The study provides evidence that microplastic exposure can cause changes beyond physical harm, affecting organisms at the epigenetic level.

2025 Preprints.org 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effects of microplastics, pyrethroid and food resources on the life-history traits and microbiome of Chironomus riparius

Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to microplastics alone and combined with a pyrethroid pesticide under varying food conditions, finding that combined stress altered life-history traits and shifted the gut microbiome composition, with food availability modulating the severity of effects.

2021 Environmental Pollution 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling population-specific outcomes: Examining life cycle traits of different strains of Chironomus riparius exposed to microplastics and cadmium questions generality of ecotoxicological results

Researchers compared the life-cycle responses of two Chironomus riparius strains from Spain and Germany to microplastic and cadmium exposure, finding population-specific differences in sensitivity and outcomes. The results question the generalizability of ecotoxicological results derived from standard lab cultures.

2024 PLoS ONE 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

DNA damage and molecular level effects induced by polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics (NPs) after Chironomus riparius (Diptera) larvae

Researchers exposed aquatic midge larvae to polystyrene nanoplastics at concentrations similar to those found in the environment and examined molecular-level effects after just 24 hours. They found significant DNA damage along with changes in genes related to cellular stress, immune response, and hormonal regulation. The study provides early evidence that even short-term, environmentally realistic nanoplastic exposure can trigger harmful molecular changes in aquatic organisms.

2023 Chemosphere 20 citations