Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Influence on the processes of retention and transport of pesticides and ecotoxicity of microplastics in a tropical soil

Researchers investigated how high-density polyethylene microplastics from agricultural mulch films affect the behavior of three pesticides in tropical soil, finding that microplastics altered pesticide sorption, transport, and leaching while also increasing ecotoxicological effects on earthworms.

2023 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Biogenic transport of glyphosate in the presence of LDPE microplastics: A mesocosm experiment

A mesocosm experiment showed that earthworms can transport glyphosate and its breakdown product AMPA deeper into soil when low-density polyethylene microplastics are present, altering herbicide distribution compared to soil without microplastics. The results indicate that microplastics can indirectly affect pesticide fate in agricultural soils by modifying biological transport processes.

2018 Environmental Pollution 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the role of polyethylene microplastics as a vector for organic pollutants in soil: Ecotoxicological and molecular approaches

Polyethylene microplastics were shown to act as vectors for organic pollutants including pharmaceuticals and pesticides in soil, with earthworm bioaccumulation assays and molecular endpoints revealing that MPs increased contaminant uptake compared to soil exposure alone.

2021 Chemosphere 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Responses of earthworms exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments

Researchers exposed earthworms to low-density polyethylene microplastic fragments at various concentrations and studied the effects on their survival, growth, and reproduction. The microplastics affected earthworm behavior and caused measurable changes depending on concentration and exposure time. Since earthworms are critical for soil health and nutrient cycling, their sensitivity to microplastics raises concerns about how plastic pollution may degrade agricultural soils.

2023 Chemosphere 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics influence the transport of organic contaminants in soil

Laboratory experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics in soil altered the transport and distribution of organic contaminants, acting as secondary carriers that changed contaminant mobility through the soil matrix. The findings suggest microplastics in agricultural soils could inadvertently redistribute pesticides and other pollutants, with implications for groundwater quality.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 320 citations
Article Tier 2

Earthworms on a microplastics diet

Researchers found that environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics added to plant litter on soil surfaces led to reduced growth and elevated mortality in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris, and that earthworms may themselves transport ingested microplastics deeper into soils.

2016 Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the vertical migration of pesticides in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the vertical migration of pesticide mixtures in soil using stainless steel column experiments with sandy reference soil, finding that microplastics' hydrophobic surfaces and high sorption capacity altered the transport of 20 pesticides compared to uncontaminated soil.

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

Sorption to mulch film decreases bioavailability of two model pesticides for earthworms in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene mulch film microplastics interact with pesticides in agricultural soil and their combined effects on earthworms. The study found that sorption of pesticides to mulch film microplastics actually decreased the bioavailability of two model pesticides to earthworms, suggesting that in some cases microplastics may reduce rather than increase pesticide toxicity to soil organisms.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and chlorpyrifos on earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) and their biogenic transport in sandy soil

Researchers conducted mesocosm experiments to examine the effects of polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics combined with the pesticide chlorpyrifos on earthworms and their role in transporting these contaminants through soil. The study found that while earthworm reproduction was not significantly affected, earthworm burrowing activity facilitated the vertical transport of both microplastics and chlorpyrifos deeper into the soil profile.

2022 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polyethylene microplastics on bioavailability and toxicity of metals in soil

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect the bioavailability and toxicity of copper and nickel in soil using earthworms as test organisms. They found that adding microplastics to contaminated soil increased the bioavailability of the metals and enhanced their toxic effects on the earthworms. The study suggests that microplastics in soil can worsen heavy metal pollution by making metals more accessible and harmful to soil-dwelling organisms.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and earthworms in soils: A case study on translocation, toxicity and fate

This conference abstract presents research on how earthworms in agricultural soils interact with microplastics, examining whether worms translocate particles deeper into soil, experience toxic effects, and alter the fate of microplastic contamination. Earthworms are key soil engineers, and their exposure to microplastics could have cascading effects on soil health.

2020
Article Tier 2

Polyvinylchloride and polypropylene as adsorbents of the pesticide monocrotophos enhance oxidative stress in Eudrillus eugeniae (Kinberg)

Earthworms (Eudrillus eugeniae) were exposed to soil containing polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene microplastics pre-loaded with the pesticide monocrotophos, finding that the plastic-pesticide combination increased oxidative stress markers compared to either contaminant alone. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as vectors delivering pesticides to soil invertebrates, amplifying toxic effects.

2022 Chemosphere 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption to mulch film decreases bioavailability of two model pesticides for earthworms in soil

This study investigated how agricultural mulch film microplastics affect the bioavailability of pesticides to earthworms in soil. Sorption of two model pesticides onto mulch film microplastics significantly decreased their bioavailability, suggesting MPs may alter the ecological risk profile of pesticide-contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V
Article Tier 2

Soil health risks caused by interactions of microplastics and pesticides

Chlorpyrifos adsorption and desorption on pristine and UV-aged LDPE and biodegradable microplastics derived from plastic mulch films was investigated in laboratory experiments, along with bioconcentration in earthworms. Aging altered the adsorption-desorption behavior of both plastic types and affected pesticide bioavailability to earthworms, highlighting risks from pesticide-microplastic interactions in agricultural soils.

2024
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the vertical migration of pesticides in soil

Researchers investigated the impact of polyethylene microplastics on the vertical migration of complex pesticide mixtures in soil using medium-sized column experiments with 20 pesticides, addressing the gap that prior studies had focused on single-compound rather than multi-compound contamination scenarios. The study examined how microplastic hydrophobic surfaces and sorption capacity alter pesticide mobility and leaching risk in agricultural soils.

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

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.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 261 citations
Article Tier 2

Earthworms Exposed to Polyethylene and Biodegradable Microplastics in Soil: Microplastic Characterization and Microbial Community Analysis

Researchers exposed earthworms to biodegradable and conventional polyethylene microplastics in natural soil and found that worms ingested both types. The biodegradable plastic showed signs of partial breakdown in the earthworm gut, while conventional polyethylene remained unchanged. Although microplastics did not significantly alter the soil or gut microbiome in this study, the results confirm that earthworms transport microplastics through soil ecosystems.

2023 ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and Transport Pathways of Microplastics in Agricultural Soil and their Interaction with Agrochemicals

Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics move through agricultural soil and interact with agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. The study highlights that industrialization-driven plastic accumulation fragments into microplastics in farming environments, where their interactions with agricultural chemicals may amplify environmental and food safety risks.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution and transport in agricultural soils : from field to burrow scale

Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and transport of microplastics in agricultural soils through field surveys and laboratory experiments. They found that sewage sludge amendments led to significantly higher microplastic contamination than mineral fertilizers, and that earthworm activity was a key mechanism for moving plastic particles deeper into soil. The study highlights the importance of accounting for both horizontal and vertical microplastic transport in soils when assessing agricultural pollution.

2024 Acta universitatis agriculturae Sueciae 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene mulch film-derived microplastics enhance the bioaccumulation of atrazine in two earthworm species (Eisenia fetida and Metaphire guillelmi) via carrier effects

Researchers found that polyethylene mulch film-derived microplastics enhanced atrazine bioaccumulation in two earthworm species through carrier effects, with farmland residual microplastics showing stronger bioconcentration than unused film fragments.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 38 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as a Vector for HOC Bioaccumulation in Earthworm Eisenia fetida in Soil: Importance of Chemical Diffusion and Particle Size

Researchers investigated whether microplastics act as vectors for hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) bioaccumulation in earthworms, testing two scenarios with polyethylene particles of different sizes and polychlorinated biphenyls in soil. Results showed that clean microplastics in contaminated soil reduced HOC bioaccumulation, while smaller precontaminated microplastics enhanced transfer of PCBs to earthworms, demonstrating that particle size and prior contamination status are critical factors.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of microplastic sources, transport pathways and correlations with other soil stressors: a journey from agricultural sites into the environment

Researchers reviewed how microplastics spread from farms into surrounding soils, waterways, and air through both biological processes (like earthworm movement) and physical ones (like wind and runoff), while also carrying along pesticides, fertilizers, and pathogens as hitchhikers. The review highlights major gaps in our understanding of microplastic transport across landscapes and calls for more field-scale research.

2022 Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 280 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on nicosulfuron accumulation and bacteria community in soil-earthworms system

Researchers investigated how microplastics affect the accumulation of the pesticide nicosulfuron in soil and earthworms. They found that at higher concentrations, microplastics nearly doubled the amount of pesticide that accumulated in earthworms while reducing the amount remaining in soil. The study also showed that microplastics decreased bacterial diversity in both soil and earthworm guts, suggesting they may alter how pesticides move through terrestrial food chains.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations