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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Shedding microplastics: metamorphosis as a potential detoxification mechanism for microplastics in Chironomus riparius
ClearUnderstanding 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Can water mites’ parasitism influence the number of microplastics ingested by aquatic insects?
Researchers discovered for the first time that parasitic water mites, which infect aquatic insects, influence how many microplastic particles those insects ingest, with mite-infested insects ingesting more microplastics — a finding that suggests parasites may play an unexpected role in how microplastics move through freshwater food webs.
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.
Beneath the surface: Decoding the impact of Chironomus riparius bioturbation on microplastic dispersion in sedimentary matrix
Researchers investigated how the burrowing activity of midge larvae affects the movement of microplastics through lake and river sediments. They found that the larvae's bioturbation activity pushed microplastic particles deeper into the sediment, and the presence of microplastics in turn influenced the intensity of the larvae's burrowing behavior. The study highlights how bottom-dwelling organisms can act as unintentional transporters of microplastic pollution within freshwater ecosystems.
Defecation in preparation for ecdysis drives microplastic clearance in cricket nymphs
A study of cricket nymphs (Gryllodes sigillatus) found that microplastics are primarily cleared from the gut not by moulting of the gut lining as previously assumed, but by the purging of gut contents that occurs in preparation for each moult, following a cyclical pattern. Understanding how terrestrial insects clear microplastics matters for food web modelling, since insects are a key dietary component for birds, fish, and other animals that could be exposed to plastics through predation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Female mosquito-a potential vector for transporting plastic residues to humans
Researchers found that mosquito larvae accumulate microplastics from sewage environments and retain them through metamorphosis into adult females, suggesting that mosquitoes could serve as vectors for transporting plastic residues to humans through biting.
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.
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.
Aquatic insects as mediator for microplastics pollution in a river ecosystem of Bangladesh
Researchers found that aquatic insects in a Malaysian river ecosystem ingest microplastics and can transport them across ecosystem boundaries as the insects emerge from water to land, functioning as biological vectors that move plastic contamination from aquatic to terrestrial food webs.
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.
Characterizing microplastic ingestion, transformation, and excretion in insects using fluorescent plastics
Using fluorescent microplastics as tracers, researchers showed that insects can ingest, transform through digestion, and excrete microplastic particles, demonstrating that insects are both exposed to and potential vectors for spreading microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems.
Ontogenetic transfer of microplastics in natural populations of malaria mosquitoes in Western Siberia
Researchers studied how malaria-carrying mosquitoes in Western Siberia take up microplastics during their aquatic larval stage and carry them through metamorphosis into adulthood. Larvae accumulated millions of polystyrene particles within days, but the number dropped dramatically during each life stage transition, with only a few particles remaining in adult mosquitoes. The study confirms that flying insects can transfer waterborne microplastic pollution into terrestrial environments.
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.
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.
Microplastics of different characteristics are incorporated into the larval cases of the freshwater caddisfly Lepidostoma basale
Researchers found that the freshwater caddisfly larva Lepidostoma basale actively incorporated microplastics of various sizes, shapes, and polymer types into its larval case alongside natural materials, representing a novel pathway of microplastic interaction beyond dietary ingestion in aquatic insects.