Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of small-sized and irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics affect Chironomus riparius life-history traits

Researchers exposed freshwater midge larvae to irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics of different size classes and found that larvae preferentially ingested the smallest particles (32-63 micrometers) regardless of what sizes were available. Ingestion of these small particles significantly reduced larval growth and delayed adult emergence at relatively low concentrations. The findings suggest that small, irregularly shaped microplastics, which are the most common form in natural sediments, may pose a greater risk to benthic organisms than larger particles.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 171 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

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

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

Effects of Polyurethane Small-Sized Microplastics in the Chironomid, Chironomus riparius: Responses at Organismal and Sub-Organismal Levels

This study exposed the freshwater chironomid Chironomus riparius to polyurethane microplastics (7-9 micrometers) and found dose-dependent effects on survival, growth, and oxidative stress markers. The results indicate polyurethane microplastics are toxic to this widely used aquatic invertebrate indicator species.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent chronic toxicity of fragmented polyethylene microplastics to Daphnia magna

Researchers tested the long-term effects of irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastic fragments on the freshwater organism Daphnia magna over 21 days. They found that fragmented microplastics were ingested at much higher rates and caused more harm to reproduction and survival than smooth, round plastic beads of similar size, suggesting particle shape matters for toxicity.

2021 Chemosphere 193 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

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

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

Impacts and uptake of environmentally relevant microplastics by Daphnia pulex

Researchers exposed Daphnia pulex to environmentally realistic concentrations and shapes of PVC microplastics — including non-spherical forms — to assess biological impacts and uptake. The study found measurable effects on survival and reproduction at environmentally relevant exposures, with irregular-shaped microplastics presenting risks distinct from the spherical particles typically used in laboratory studies.

2025 SHAREOK (University of Oklahoma; Oklahoma State University; Central Oklahoma University)
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

Oxidative damage and decreased aerobic energy production due to ingestion of polyethylene microplastics by Chironomus riparius (Diptera) larvae

Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to three size classes of polyethylene microplastics and found that all sizes were ingested, causing oxidative damage and reduced aerobic energy production, with the smallest particles causing the greatest harm.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 102 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

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

Toxicity of microplastics and natural particles in the freshwater dipteran Chironomus riparius: Same same but different?

Larvae of the freshwater midge Chironomus riparius were chronically exposed to PVC microplastics and natural particles (kaolin, diatomite) alone and combined with the pesticide imidacloprid for 28 days, with effects observed only at high PVC concentrations but with interactions noted between particles and the insecticide. The study suggests that natural particles are not consistently more benign than microplastics at equal concentrations.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative impacts of fragmented versus spherical microplastics on the marine rotifer Brachionus koreanus: Multigenerational chronic toxicity and multi-omics perspective

This study found that the shape of microplastic particles matters more than their size when it comes to toxicity. Small, jagged fragments caused more harm to tiny marine animals called rotifers than smooth round beads, reducing their ability to reproduce and shortening their lifespan across multiple generations. The findings suggest that irregularly shaped microplastics, which are the most common type found in the environment, may be more dangerous than the smooth spheres typically used in lab studies.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 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

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

Polyamide microplastic exposure elicits rapid, strong and genome-wide evolutionary response in the freshwater non-biting midge Chironomus riparius

Researchers discovered that polyamide microplastic exposure triggered rapid and genome-wide evolutionary responses in the midge Chironomus riparius within just seven generations, demonstrating that microplastics can drive significant microevolutionary changes in aquatic organisms.

2022 Chemosphere 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on Allonais inaequalis, Chironomus sancticaroli and Daphnia magna under conventional and stressful exposures

Lab experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics caused toxic effects in three freshwater invertebrates — a worm, a midge larva, and a water flea — under both standard and stressful conditions. The results indicate microplastics pose a real threat to freshwater biodiversity across different aquatic species.

2020 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates

Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.

2018 Environmental Pollution 317 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of nano- and microplastic ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Researchers studied how nano- and microplastic ingestion affects survivorship and reproduction in small invertebrates, finding that exposure reduced reproductive output and survival rates in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that even environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic particles can impair fitness in aquatic invertebrates.

2024 Environmental Entomology 4 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

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