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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Ecotoxicological effects of different size ranges of industrial-grade polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on earthworms Eisenia fetida
ClearToxicological 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.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics stress on soil physicochemical properties mediated by earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of two sizes and found that smaller particles (13 micrometers) were more toxic than larger ones (130 micrometers), reducing survival and growth more severely. The microplastics caused oxidative stress in the worms and altered key soil properties including pH and organic carbon content. Since earthworms play a vital role in maintaining healthy soil for agriculture, this damage could affect soil quality and ultimately the food grown in microplastic-contaminated farmland.
Understanding 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.
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.
Reproduction, metabolic enzyme activity, and metabolomics in earthworms Eisenia fetida exposed to different polymer microplastics
Researchers exposed earthworms to microplastics from three different polymer types, including both conventional and biodegradable plastics, at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that polypropylene microplastics had the most pronounced effects on reproduction and metabolic enzyme activity, while biodegradable plastics also disrupted earthworm metabolism. The study demonstrates that different plastic polymers pose varying levels of risk to soil-dwelling organisms.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A comparison of the toxicity induced by the exposure to microplastics made of a conventional and a biodegradable polymer on the earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers compared the toxicity of conventional versus biodegradable polymer microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida, evaluating whether biodegradable alternatives present reduced ecotoxicological risk in soil environments where microplastic contamination is increasingly documented.
Histopathological and molecular effects of microplastics in Eisenia andrei Bouché
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics in soil and examined the effects on their tissues and gene expression. They found that microplastic exposure caused visible damage to the earthworms' gut lining and skin, and altered the activity of genes involved in stress response and immune function. The study provides some of the first evidence that microplastics can harm soil organisms at both the tissue and molecular level.
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.
Visualizing and assessing the size-dependent oral uptake, tissue distribution, and detrimental effect of polystyrene microplastics in Eisenia fetida
Researchers investigated size-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) using particles of 70 nanometers, 1 micrometer, and 10 micrometers at various doses. They found that smaller particles were more readily taken up into tissues and caused greater oxidative stress and tissue damage. The study suggests that nanoscale plastic particles may pose higher ecological risks to soil organisms than larger microplastics due to their enhanced ability to penetrate biological barriers.
Toxicity comparison of multiple biodegradable and conventional microplastics on earthworms: Ingestion, tissue damage, oxidative stress, and transcriptional responses
This study compared the toxicity of four biodegradable microplastics and conventional polyethylene microplastics on earthworms across multiple biological endpoints. Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics caused tissue damage, oxidative stress, and altered gene expression at levels comparable to or sometimes exceeding conventional plastics, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are inherently safer for soil organisms.
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.
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.
Multigenerational growth inhibition and oxidative stress of polystyrene micro(nano)plastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers exposed earthworms to polystyrene nano- and microplastics across two generations, finding both particle types reduced offspring numbers by 23–39%, disrupted reproductive tissue structure, and caused oxidative stress, with nanoplastics producing more severe multigenerational effects.
Microplastic cytotoxicity and the phagocytic response of earthworm immune cells
Researchers tested the effects of polyethylene microplastics on earthworm immune cells in laboratory conditions and found that cells engulfed 85% of small particles (1-10 micrometers) but showed negligible uptake of larger ones (20-27 micrometers). Both particle sizes caused dramatic drops in cell viability to just 6-7%, compared to 94% in untreated controls. The findings reveal that different microplastic sizes trigger distinct pathways of cellular damage in soil organisms.
Impact of Conventional vs. Biodegradable and Compostable Microplastics on Eisenia fetida S.: An Ecopathological Approach
Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable and conventional polyethylene microplastics on soil-dwelling earthworms and found that both types caused increased mortality, decreased biomass, and tissue damage after 14 days of exposure. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics are not necessarily safer than conventional ones, and that detailed tissue analysis can reveal harmful sublethal effects not captured by standard toxicity tests.
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.
Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei
Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei using an eight-week reproduction test across seven concentration levels. Both polymer types affected earthworm survival, reproduction, and oxidative stress markers, raising questions about whether biodegradable alternatives pose similar soil ecosystem risks.
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.
Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei
Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of conventional low-density polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics (PBAT-BD-MPs) on earthworms (Eisenia andrei) across a range of concentrations in an eight-week reproduction test. Both polymer types were assessed for impacts on survival, reproduction, growth, and oxidative stress in soil organisms.