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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Is the Polylactic Acid Fiber in Green Compost a Risk for Lumbricus terrestris and Triticum aestivum?
ClearShort-Term Effect of Poly Lactic Acid Microplastics Uptake by Earthworms, Eudrilus eugeniae.
Researchers tested whether earthworms (Eudrilus eugeniae) would ingest polylactic acid (PLA) biodegradable microplastics when mixed with organic matter, finding they did but with reduced weight gain and reproductive output at higher concentrations. This suggests even biodegradable microplastics can harm soil organisms, which are essential for nutrient cycling and soil health.
Microplastics in municipal mixed-waste organic outputs induce minimal short to long-term toxicity in key terrestrial biota
Researchers tested how microplastics in composted municipal waste affect soil organisms including wheat, earthworms, and nematodes over periods up to nine months. They found that adding HDPE, PET, or PVC microplastics had no significant negative effects on plant growth, earthworm survival, or nematode reproduction. The study suggests that at the concentrations tested, microplastics in composted waste applied to soil pose minimal short- to long-term toxicity to key terrestrial species.
Microplastic Analysis on Microbial Compost, Vermicompost, and Superworm Compost and Their Ecological Risk Assessment
Researchers found microplastic contamination in all three types of commercial organic compost (microbial, vermicompost, and superworm compost), raising concerns about introducing plastic pollution into agricultural soils through products marketed as environmentally friendly. The ecological risk assessment highlights that even compost used to improve soil health may be a vector for spreading microplastics in food-growing environments.
Integrated assessment of the chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological effects of a bio-packaging end-of-life in compost
This study tested what happens when a new type of biodegradable packaging breaks down during composting and how the residues affect earthworms. The bioplastic residues altered the earthworms' gut bacteria and caused measurable toxic effects, even though the packaging was designed to be environmentally friendly. The findings suggest that even compostable bioplastics may leave behind fragments that could affect soil organisms and potentially enter the food chain.
Evaluation of the impact of polylactide microparticles on soil biota
Researchers evaluated the environmental impact of polylactide (PLA) bioplastic microparticles on soil organisms using earthworms and plants as bioindicators. They found that while PLA microparticles did not affect earthworm survival, they reduced reproductive capacity by approximately 50% at concentrations of 2.5% and above. The study suggests that even biodegradable bioplastics can have measurable ecological effects on soil organisms, particularly on earthworm reproduction.
Deterioration of bio-based polylactic acid plastic teabags under environmental conditions and their associated effects on earthworms.
Researchers evaluated how polylactic acid (PLA) teabags break down under natural soil conditions and found that degradation was slower than expected, with released microplastics causing measurable harm to earthworms including reduced growth and altered gut microbiome.
Response of earthworms to microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation: Toxicity comparison of conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene microplastics to earthworms in soil irrigated with biogas slurry. They found that all microplastic types caused time-dependent toxicity, including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of antioxidant defense systems at higher concentrations. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may pose similar ecological risks to conventional plastics for soil organisms.
Effects of Microplastics in Soil Ecosystems: Above and Below Ground
Researchers tested how three types of microplastics, including biodegradable polylactic acid, conventional polyethylene, and synthetic clothing fibers, affect soil ecosystems containing earthworms and ryegrass. They found that different plastic types caused distinct effects: fibers and biodegradable plastics reduced seed germination, polyethylene reduced earthworm body mass, and all types altered the structure of soil aggregates. The study provides evidence that microplastic contamination can disrupt both above-ground plant growth and below-ground soil health.
Determination and quantification of microplastics in compost
Researchers analyzed commercially available compost products to determine how much microplastic contamination they contain. They found microplastics in all tested composts, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms, primarily made of polyethylene and polypropylene. The findings raise concerns that applying commercial compost to agricultural land may be an overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into soil.
Effects of conventional versus biodegradable microplastic exposure on oxidative stress and gut microorganisms in earthworms: A comparison with two different soils
Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms in two different soil types. Both types of microplastic caused oxidative stress and altered gut microbiota in earthworms, with toxicity increasing at higher concentrations. The study found that microplastic concentration was more important than the type of plastic or soil in determining the level of harm, and that biodegradable plastics were not necessarily safer for soil organisms.
Reassessing Whether Biodegradable Microplastics Are Environmentally Friendly: Differences in Earthworm Physiological Responses and Soil Carbon Function Impacts
Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional (PP, PS) and biodegradable (PLA, PHA) microplastics on earthworm physiology and soil carbon function in haplic phaeozem soil. Biodegradable MPs were not environmentally friendly — PLA and PHA caused comparable or greater physiological stress in earthworms and disrupted soil carbon cycling to a similar degree as conventional plastics.
Comparison of the potential toxicity induced by microplastics made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) on the earthworm Eisenia foetida
Researchers compared the toxicity of microplastics made from conventional PET plastic and biodegradable PLA plastic on earthworms. Surprisingly, the supposedly eco-friendly PLA particles caused more harm than PET, triggering oxidative stress, tissue damage, and behavioral changes in the worms. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are always safer for soil organisms than traditional plastics.
The bifunctional impact of polylactic acid microplastics on composting processes and soil-plant systems: Dynamics of microbial communities and ecological niche competition
Researchers investigated how polylactic acid microplastics affect microbial communities during composting and the subsequent impact on soil and plants. They found that the microplastics played a dual role, suppressing some bacterial groups while promoting others depending on the composting phase, and shifted the core microbial network from bacterial to fungal dominance during stabilization. The study indicates that composting as a disposal method for biodegradable plastics can transfer microplastic-driven microbial changes to soil, causing oxidative stress in plants.
The comparison effect on earthworms between conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms over an extended exposure period. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused comparable or even greater harm than conventional plastics at certain concentrations, including reduced growth and reproduction. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer for soil organisms.
Effect of polylactic acid microplastics on soil properties, soil microbials and plant growth
Researchers tested whether microplastics from biodegradable polylactic acid plastic, often proposed as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic, affect soil health and plant growth. High concentrations of these biodegradable microplastics reduced soil pH, altered the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, decreased plant growth, and shifted soil microbial communities. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can negatively affect agricultural ecosystems when they break down into microplastic-sized particles.
[Effects of Polylactic Acid Microplastics （PLA-MPs） on Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of Wheat Rhizosphere Soil].
Researchers investigated how polylactic acid microplastics affect wheat rhizosphere soil and found that they significantly altered soil chemistry, increasing phosphorus and organic matter while decreasing total nitrogen and pH. The microplastics also reduced the richness and diversity of soil microorganisms, with larger particles and higher concentrations causing the greatest disruption. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can meaningfully reshape soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling in agricultural settings.
Do poly(lactic acid) microplastics instigate a threat? A perception for their dynamic towards environmental pollution and toxicity
This review examines whether poly(lactic acid), a popular biodegradable plastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, actually poses environmental risks as it breaks down into microplastics. Researchers found that PLA only degrades fully under specific industrial composting conditions with high temperatures and moisture, and may persist much longer in natural environments. The study calls for deeper investigation into the environmental fate and potential toxicity of PLA microplastics as their use continues to grow.
The Hidden Crisis of Biodegradable Plastics: Polylactic Acid Microplastics Increase Soil Cd and Pb Bioavailability and Associated Human Health Risks
Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, significantly increased the availability of toxic heavy metals like cadmium and lead in agricultural soil. The PLA particles altered soil chemistry and microbial communities, leading to greater heavy metal uptake by lettuce and substantially increased health risks for humans consuming the crops.
Exploring the toxicity of biodegradable microplastics and imidacloprid to earthworms (Eisenia fetida) from morphological and gut microbial perspectives
Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) combined with the pesticide imidacloprid caused more severe harm to earthworms than either pollutant alone, including higher death rates, tissue damage, and disrupted gut bacteria. This is concerning because PLA plastics are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, yet they can still break down into harmful microplastics in soil. The study shows that biodegradable plastics may actually make pesticide contamination worse for soil organisms.
Effects of Biodegradable Microplastics on Soil and Lettuce Health: Rhizosphere Microbiome and Metabolome Responses
Researchers tested how two common biodegradable microplastics affect lettuce growth and the microbial communities around its roots. At higher concentrations, both types of biodegradable plastics inhibited lettuce growth and significantly disrupted the balance of beneficial soil microbes and plant metabolic processes. The findings suggest that even plastics marketed as biodegradable can negatively impact soil health and crop development when present in sufficient quantities.
Quantification and polymeric characterization of microplastics in composts and their accumulation in lettuce
Researchers measured microplastics in eight types of compost and then grew lettuce in the contaminated material. Municipal solid waste compost contained the most microplastics, over 16,000 particles per kilogram, and lettuce grown in it accumulated the highest levels, with measurable impacts on plant growth. The findings suggest that compost quality standards should account for plastic contamination to protect food safety.
Macro- and micro- plastics in soil-plant system: Effects of plastic mulch film residues on wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth
Researchers studied how plastic mulch film residues, both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable types, affect wheat growth when mixed into soil. They found that both macro- and micro-sized plastic residues negatively impacted plant growth above and below ground, with effects varying depending on the plastic type and the presence of earthworms. The study highlights that agricultural plastic residues left in soil can meaningfully affect crop development and soil ecosystem health.
Assessing ecotoxicity of an innovative bio-based mulch film: a multi-environmental and multi-bioassay approach
Researchers assessed the environmental safety of an innovative bio-based mulch film made from polylactic acid using multiple testing approaches across different environments including soil, freshwater, and marine settings. They found that while the material showed good biodegradability, some degradation products caused mild toxic effects on certain test organisms. The study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive environmental testing before assuming that bio-based plastics are entirely safe alternatives to conventional agricultural plastics.
Effect of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on earthworms during vermicomposting process
Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics on earthworms during composting and found that both types caused stress at higher concentrations. Earthworm weight, reproduction, and survival were negatively affected by both plastic types, though biodegradable microplastics caused somewhat less harm. The findings suggest that biodegradable plastics are not entirely safe for soil organisms and can still disrupt composting processes.