We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Plastic Bag Derived-Microplastics as a Vector for Metal Exposure in Terrestrial Invertebrates
ClearInfluence of aged and pristine polyethylene microplastics on bioavailability of three heavy metals in soil: Toxic effects to earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers studied how aging affects the ability of polyethylene microplastics to influence the bioavailability of zinc, lead, and cadmium in soil, and the resulting toxicity to earthworms. The study found that aged microplastics had different adsorption properties for heavy metals compared to pristine particles, which altered the bioavailability of these metals and affected earthworm health differently depending on microplastic concentration and aging status.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics impact the accumulation of metals in earthworms by changing the gut bacterial communities
Researchers exposed earthworms to three sizes of polystyrene microplastics (0.1, 10, and 100 micrometers) to study effects on metal accumulation and gut bacteria. The study found that microplastics reduced nickel and lead accumulation in earthworms while significantly altering gut bacterial communities. The results suggest that microplastics influence heavy metal bioavailability in soil organisms by changing gut microbiome composition.
Altered interactions and joint toxicity between microplastics and zinc induced by activated sludge composting process
Researchers studied how the composting process ages microplastics made of PET, PP, and PE, and how this aging alters their interactions with the heavy metal zinc. They found that composting increased cracks and oxygen-containing groups on the plastic surfaces, enhancing their capacity to adsorb zinc and increasing the combined toxicity to the model organism C. elegans. The study suggests that aged microplastics in compost may increase heavy metal bioavailability when applied to agricultural soils.
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.
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.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics from agricultural mulch and cadmium negatively impact earthworms by triggering neurotoxicity and disrupting homeostasis
Researchers exposed earthworms to environmentally realistic levels of microplastics from agricultural mulch film combined with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal. The aged microplastics helped carry more cadmium into the earthworms' bodies, causing nerve damage, gut tissue injury, and disrupted metabolism. This study shows that microplastics in farm soil can make heavy metal contamination worse for soil organisms, with potential knock-on effects for the food chain.
Low-density polyethylene microplastics as a source and carriers of agrochemicals to soil and earthworms
Researchers investigated whether low-density polyethylene microplastics could act as carriers of agrochemicals in soil and found that the particles both released their own chemical additives and transported pesticides to earthworms. The study suggests microplastics in agricultural soils may serve as a previously underappreciated pathway for chemical exposure in soil 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.
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.
Effects of nano- and microplastics on the bioaccumulation and distribution of phenanthrene in the soil feeding earthworm Metaphire guillelmi
Researchers investigated how nano- and microplastics affect the bioaccumulation of phenanthrene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) in soil-feeding earthworms using C-radioactive labeling, finding that fine plastic particles decreased phenanthrene bioavailability in soil and reduced uptake by Metaphire guillelmi earthworms, with nanoplastics showing a stronger dilution effect than microplastics. Soil properties remained the dominant factor controlling bioaccumulation efficiency, and only limited vector effects of the plastic particles were observed.
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.
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.
Differential Impactsof Conventional and BiodegradableMicroplastics on Cadmium Transfer in a Soil-Earthworm-Lettuce System
A microcosm experiment tested how conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected cadmium transfer in a soil-earthworm-lettuce system. High doses of conventional MPs increased cadmium in plant shoots by 54% and in earthworms by 80%, while biodegradable MPs had less effect, suggesting polymer type matters for metal contamination risk in agroecosystems.
Metals' Adsorption Onto Environmental Microplastics at Shoreline Sediments
Metal adsorption onto microplastics collected from shoreline environments was measured, revealing that weathered plastic particles accumulate heavy metals like lead, copper, and zinc. The results confirm that shoreline microplastics act as metal-enriched vectors that could pose risks to organisms ingesting them.
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.
Microplastics aggravate the joint toxicity to earthworm Eisenia fetida with cadmium by altering its availability
Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics combined with cadmium and found that co-exposure caused significantly worse effects than either pollutant alone, including increased avoidance behavior, weight loss, and DNA damage. The microplastics increased the bioavailability of cadmium in soil by up to 1.43-fold and boosted cadmium accumulation in earthworm tissue by up to 2.65-fold. The study demonstrates that microplastics can worsen heavy metal toxicity to soil organisms by making the metals more accessible for uptake.