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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The Effect of Microplastic on the Uptake of Chemicals by the Lugworm Arenicola marina (L.) under Environmentally Relevant Exposure Conditions
ClearEffects of Microplastic on Fitness and PCB Bioaccumulation by the Lugworm Arenicola marina (L.)
Researchers tested whether microplastics in sediment affect lugworm fitness and PCB bioaccumulation, finding that microplastics reduced worm energy reserves and increased PCB uptake, demonstrating that microplastics can simultaneously harm organisms directly and enhance their chemical contaminant burden.
Microplastic Moves Pollutants and Additives to Worms, Reducing Functions Linked to Health and Biodiversity
Researchers exposed lugworms to sediment containing 5% microplastic pre-loaded with pollutants and plastic additives, confirming that ingested microplastic transfers chemicals into gut tissue — with nonylphenol uptake from PVC reducing immune cell function by over 60% and triclosan from PVC causing sediment-engineering impairment and mortality exceeding 55%.
Microplastics are taken up by mussels (Mytilus edulis) and lugworms (Arenicola marina) living in natural habitats
Researchers confirmed that mussels and lugworms both take up microplastics in laboratory conditions, and investigated whether microplastics transfer between species through predation, finding evidence of trophic transfer in a simple two-species food chain.
Effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on a marine ecosystem engineer (Arenicola marina) and sediment nutrient cycling
Researchers assessed the effects of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on lugworms, a key marine ecosystem engineer, in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that both types of microplastics at increasing concentrations affected lugworm health and biological activity as well as sediment nutrient cycling, suggesting that even biodegradable plastics may pose risks to marine sediment ecosystems.
Bioturbation of microplastics in the coastal zone: The role of the lugworm, Arenicola marina
Researchers compared microplastic characteristics in casts of the lugworm Arenicola marina with those in intertidal surface and subsurface sediments, finding little difference in elemental content consistent with non-selective feeding, while documenting the worm's role in redistributing microplastics through bioturbation to depths of approximately 20 cm. The study advances understanding of how conveyor-belt feeding invertebrates influence microplastic cycling in coastal sediment reservoirs.
Effect of Microplastics on the Bioavailability of (Semi-)Metals in the Soil Earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the uptake of cadmium and arsenic by earthworms in paddy soil. They found that microplastics altered the soil chemistry in ways that changed how much of these metals the earthworms absorbed, with effects varying by metal type and concentration. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated agricultural soils can influence how toxic metals move through the food chain.
Size-dependent vector effects of microplastics on bioaccumulation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in earthworm: A dual-dosing study
Researchers developed a dual-dosing method to directly measure how microplastics act as carriers for hydrophobic organic contaminants in earthworms. The study found that smaller microplastic particles had greater vector effects, increasing bioaccumulation of pollutants, and that dermal uptake played a significant role in contaminant transfer from microplastics to organisms.
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.
Do microplastics mediate the effects of chemicals on aquatic organisms?
This review examined whether microplastics act as vectors for chemical contaminants in aquatic organisms, finding that while chemicals can sorb to microplastics, the evidence for microplastics significantly enhancing chemical toxicity in natural settings remains limited.
Size effects of microplastics on accumulation and elimination of phenanthrene in earthworms
Researchers examined how microplastic particle size affects the accumulation and elimination of the pollutant phenanthrene in earthworms. They found that smaller microplastics enhanced phenanthrene uptake in earthworm tissues, while larger particles had a less pronounced effect. The study demonstrates that microplastic size influences how organic pollutants interact with soil organisms, with finer particles potentially increasing contaminant bioavailability.
Trojan horse effects of microplastics: A mini-review about their role as a vector of organic and inorganic compounds in several matrices
This review examines the 'Trojan horse' role of microplastics as vectors for organic and inorganic pollutants, finding that adsorption follows Freundlich models and that contaminant transfer to organisms is species-specific, with some species showing increased and others decreased toxicant bioavailability.
Uptake of Potentially Toxic Elements in Microplastic-Contaminated Soils: A Controlled Laboratory Study Using Eisenia Fetida
Researchers exposed earthworms to tire-derived microplastics in soil and found that levels above 100 mg/g caused significant buildup of toxic heavy metals — including chromium, lead, tin, and zinc — inside the worms' bodies. This shows microplastics act as carriers that help move harmful metals from soil into living organisms.
Combined toxicity of organophosphate flame retardants and polyethylene microplastics on Eisenia fetida: Biochemical and molecular insights
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics, chlorinated flame retardants, and their combinations to assess combined toxicity effects. They found that the most toxic flame retardant (TDCPP) had its effects reduced when combined with microplastics, likely because the plastics absorbed the chemical and lowered its bioavailability. In contrast, microplastics enhanced the toxicity of another flame retardant (TCPP), demonstrating that microplastics can act as both carriers and modulators of co-contaminant toxicity in soil ecosystems.
Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms
Researchers exposed marine worms to microplastics and found that ingestion reduced the worms' energy reserves, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion imposes a measurable energetic cost that could affect growth, reproduction, and survival.
Effect of polyethylene microplastics on tebuconazole bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and intestinal bacterial community in earthworms
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes alongside a common fungicide and found that smaller microplastics caused the most severe oxidative stress and DNA damage. The microplastics also changed how much fungicide accumulated in the earthworms and disrupted their gut bacteria. This matters because earthworms are essential for soil health, and these effects could ripple through agricultural ecosystems that produce our food.
Occurrence of microplastics in Mytilus edulis and Arenicola marina collected along the French-Belgian-Dutch coast
Researchers measured microplastics in blue mussels and lugworms collected from beaches along the French, Belgian, and Dutch coasts, finding microplastics in both species at levels reflecting environmental concentrations. The study bridged the gap between high-concentration lab experiments and field reality by documenting actual microplastic contamination in these commonly consumed and studied marine species.
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.
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.
Microplastics as vectors of pharmaceuticals in aquatic organisms – An overview of their environmental implications
Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as "vectors" for pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic environments, absorbing drugs onto their surfaces and then releasing them inside organisms after ingestion — potentially amplifying the toxicity of pharmaceuticals throughout the food web.
Negligible effects of microplastics on animal fitness and HOC bioaccumulation in earthworm Eisenia fetida in soil
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics at concentrations up to 20 percent of soil dry weight and measured oxidative stress biomarkers. While the highest concentration caused some biochemical changes, no significant effects were observed at 10 percent or below, which covers most realistic environmental scenarios. The study also found that microplastics reduced the bioaccumulation of PAHs and PCBs in earthworm tissues, suggesting that the particles may actually limit the uptake of certain organic pollutants in soil organisms.
Cadmium and copper absorption by Eisenia fetida in the presence of different concentrations of microplastics
Researchers exposed earthworms (Eisenia fetida) to soil containing tire-derived microplastics alongside heavy metals cadmium and copper, finding that the microplastics increased the worms' uptake of both toxic metals. The results suggest that microplastics in soil act as carriers that make heavy metal contamination more bioavailable and dangerous for soil-dwelling organisms.
Strong but reversible sorption on polar microplastics enhanced earthworm bioaccumulation of associated organic compounds
Sorption experiments showed that organic compounds bound more strongly to polar biodegradable microplastics than to conventional polypropylene, but that strong binding reduced bioavailability to earthworms, with earthworm bioaccumulation of phenanthrene from MP-contaminated soil following patterns predicted by equilibrium partitioning rather than carrier effects.
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.
Microplastics Reduce the Negative Effects of Litter-Derived Plant Secondary Metabolites on Nematodes in Soil
Researchers found that microplastics in soil reduced the toxic effects of plant-derived chemicals (phenolic compounds from leaf litter) on soil nematodes. The microplastics appeared to absorb the plant chemicals, reducing their bioavailability to the worms. This shows that microplastics can change soil chemistry in unexpected ways, potentially altering how soil ecosystems function.