Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of microplastics on soil organisms

Researchers exposed earthworms and springtails to environmentally realistic mixtures of microplastics commonly found in agricultural soils treated with sewage sludge. They found that earthworms ingested microplastics in proportion to exposure levels, and at higher concentrations, both species showed reduced reproduction. The study provides evidence that real-world microplastic mixtures in farm soils can affect important soil organisms at concentrations already found in the environment.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the Effects of Environmental Concentrations of Microplastics on the Aquatic Snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Researchers examined the effects of environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations on the freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, assessing impacts on this benthic invertebrate in an understudied freshwater ecosystem context.

2021 Water Air & Soil Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxic effects of environmental predominant microplastics and ZnO nanoparticles in freshwater snail Pomaceae paludosa

Researchers assessed the toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles and polypropylene microplastics, both individually and combined, on the freshwater snail Pomeacea paludosa over 28 days. The study found that combined exposure caused more severe oxidative stress, disrupted antioxidant and digestive enzyme activity, and led to tissue damage and DNA damage compared to individual pollutant exposure. Evidence indicates that microplastics interacting with nanoparticles can amplify toxic effects in freshwater organisms.

2023 Environmental Pollution 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity and prey-predator interactions in freshwater snails exposed to microplastics

This conference abstract investigates oxidative stress, nerve damage, DNA damage, and changes in predator-prey behavior in freshwater snails exposed to microplastics, pointing to a broad range of harmful biological effects. Understanding these impacts in aquatic invertebrates matters because they occupy important ecological roles and their exposure to microplastics can have cascading effects through food webs.

2023 Endocrine Abstracts
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Journal of Applied and Natural Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the presence of microplastic in agriculture soils irrigated with treated waste waters using Lumbricus sp.: Ecotoxicological effects

Researchers collected earthworms from agricultural soils irrigated with treated wastewater in Morocco and found microplastics had accumulated in both the soil and the worms' tissues. The microplastic exposure caused oxidative stress and cellular damage in the earthworms. This study demonstrates that using treated wastewater for farming, a common practice in water-scarce regions, introduces microplastics into agricultural soil where they can harm soil organisms and potentially enter the food chain.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Microplastics Affected Survival Rate, Food Intake and Altered Oxidative Stress Parameters in Freshwater Snail Indoplanorbis exustus

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to various concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics and measured the effects on survival and physiology. The study found significant increases in oxidative stress markers and lipid peroxidation, along with reduced food intake and body weight, at higher concentrations. Evidence indicates that microplastics cause broad physiological impairment in freshwater invertebrates, and affected snails failed to recover even after exposure ended.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Dietary consumption of polypropylene microplastics alter the biochemical parameters and histological response in freshwater benthic mollusc Pomacea paludosa

Researchers exposed freshwater snails (Pomacea paludosa) to polypropylene microplastics through their diet at three concentrations over 28 days and measured biochemical and tissue-level responses. They found significant changes in antioxidant enzyme activity and histological damage in the digestive gland, with effects worsening at higher concentrations. The study suggests that dietary microplastic exposure can cause oxidative stress and organ damage in freshwater benthic organisms.

2022 Environmental Research 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological impacts of polyethylene, polystyrene and polyamide on the land snail Cantareus aspersus in a life cycle experiment

Researchers exposed garden snails (Cantareus aspersus) to polyethylene, polystyrene, or polyamide microplastics at 0.1%, 1%, and 10% concentrations in food across a full life cycle experiment. All three polymer types reduced growth, reproduction, and survival at the highest dose, with polyamide causing the most consistent toxicity, suggesting terrestrial gastropods are at risk from environmental microplastic exposure.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of microplastics on terrestrial organisms

Researchers tested the effects of environmentally realistic microplastic mixtures on the earthworm Eisenia andrei and the springtail Folsomia candida as soil model organisms. Even at environmentally relevant concentrations, the microplastic mixture caused measurable negative effects on soil organism health and reproduction.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Tracing microplastic (MP)-derived dissolved organic matter in the infiltration of MP-contaminated sand system and its disinfection byproducts formation

Researchers investigated the combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on the freshwater snail Bellamya aeruginosa, finding that co-exposure produced greater oxidative stress and tissue damage than either contaminant alone. The microplastics enhanced cadmium bioavailability in tissues.

2022 Water Research 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of soil biochemical properties and ecosystem function to microplastics pollution

This study found that polyethylene microplastics significantly disrupted soil health by reducing enzyme activity, lowering nutrient availability, and impairing overall ecosystem function. Smaller microplastics caused more damage than larger ones, and the effects were dose-dependent, suggesting that as microplastic pollution accumulates in agricultural soil, it could increasingly threaten the soil health that food production depends on.

2024 Scientific Reports 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics and heavy metals on the earthworm Eisenia foetida and on soil organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus

Researchers assessed the combined effects of polypropylene microplastics and a heavy metal mixture (copper, chromium, and zinc) on the earthworm Eisenia foetida and on soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. The study found that co-contamination exacerbated adverse effects on earthworm survival and soil nutrient dynamics compared to single-pollutant exposures, highlighting synergistic risks of combined microplastic and metal pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.

2022 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Impacts of PVC microplastic ingestion on Biomphalaria alexandrina: behavioral, physiological, and histological responses

Researchers exposed the freshwater snail Biomphalaria alexandrina to PVC microplastics and measured behavioral, physiological, and histological outcomes. They found concentration-dependent harm including reduced feeding and survival, oxidative stress, and damage to digestive glands.

2025 Hydrobiologia
Article Tier 2

Uptake and adverse effects of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics fibers on terrestrial snails (Achatina fulica) after soil exposure

Researchers exposed terrestrial snails to polyethylene terephthalate microplastic fibers in soil and found that the snails ingested and excreted the fibers, but exposure caused visible damage to the particles and oxidative stress in the animals. Higher concentrations led to measurable changes in growth and feeding behavior. The study provides evidence that microplastic fibers in soil can harm land-dwelling organisms that play important roles in soil ecosystems.

2019 Environmental Pollution 437 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of fate and impacts of microplastics in terrestrial environment using the snail Cantareus aspersus

Researchers used the land snail Cantareus aspersus as a bioindicator to assess the fate and effects of microplastics in terrestrial soils, conducting exposure studies that demonstrated microplastic uptake, tissue accumulation, and toxic effects in this organism. The work provides one of the few detailed assessments of microplastic risk in soil ecosystems using a terrestrial invertebrate model, contributing data to fill a significant gap in terrestrial ecotoxicology.

2024
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticle on earthworm (Eisenia andrei): oxidative stress responses, bioavailability and joint effect

Researchers studied the combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticles on earthworms over 28 days. They found that smaller microplastics caused greater oxidative stress, and the combination of both pollutants was more harmful than either one alone. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and metal nanoparticles in soil can amplify negative effects on soil-dwelling organisms.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Three-dimensional synergistic mechanism ofphysical injury, microbiota dysbiosis, and gene transfer in the gut of Cipangopaludina cathayensisunder microplastics and roxithromycin exposure

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to polystyrene microplastics, the antibiotic roxithromycin, and their combination to study effects on gut health. They found that co-exposure caused severe intestinal damage, disrupted gut microbiota, and dramatically increased antibiotic resistance gene levels by over 1000 percent. The study reveals a three-way mechanism of physical injury, microbial disruption, and gene transfer that amplifies ecological risks from combined pollutants.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic pollution on soil health and crop responses: Insights from dose-dependent pot experiments

Researchers combined field investigation and pot experiments to assess how microplastic contamination at different doses affects soil health indicators and crop growth performance. Field soils showed measurable microplastic contamination, and pot experiments demonstrated dose-dependent effects on soil enzyme activity, water retention, and plant growth metrics.

2024
Article Tier 2

Combined contamination of microplastic and antibiotic alters the composition of microbial community and metabolism in wheat and maize rhizosphere soil

A study found that when soil is contaminated with both microplastics and antibiotics together, the damage to wheat and maize seedlings is worse than from either contaminant alone, with increased root oxidative stress and disrupted soil bacterial communities. This combined contamination, common in agricultural soils treated with plastic mulch and livestock manure, could affect crop health and food quality.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological risk of co-exposure to fosthiazate and microplastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida): Integrating biochemical and transcriptomic analyses

Researchers investigated the combined toxic effects of the insecticide fosthiazate and microplastics on earthworms using both biochemical and genetic analyses. They found that co-exposure increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted metabolic pathways more severely than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics may amplify pesticide toxicity in soil organisms, raising concerns about their combined impact on soil ecosystem health.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis reveals differential impacts of microplastics on soil biota

Soil microplastic contamination ranged from 0.34 to over 410,000 items/kg across sites, and their presence significantly increased mortality rates and decreased individual numbers, diversity, and reproduction of soil organisms, though biomass was unaffected due to opposing effects on different organism groups.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological risks of combination of multiple pollutants at environmentally relevant concentrations: Insights from the changes in life history traits, gut microbiota, and transcriptomic responses in Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to a combination of 11 pollutants including microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals at environmentally relevant ng/L–μg/L concentrations and found significant reductions in heart rate, reproduction, and lifespan, plus gut microbiota and transcriptomic changes — effects that single-pollutant studies would not predict.

2025 Resources Environment and Sustainability