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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Deterioration of bio-based polylactic acid plastic teabags under environmental conditions and their associated effects on earthworms.
ClearThe comparison effect on earthworms between conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms over an extended exposure period. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused comparable or even greater harm than conventional plastics at certain concentrations, including reduced growth and reproduction. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer for soil organisms.
Short-Term Effect of Poly Lactic Acid Microplastics Uptake by Earthworms, Eudrilus eugeniae.
Researchers tested whether earthworms (Eudrilus eugeniae) would ingest polylactic acid (PLA) biodegradable microplastics when mixed with organic matter, finding they did but with reduced weight gain and reproductive output at higher concentrations. This suggests even biodegradable microplastics can harm soil organisms, which are essential for nutrient cycling and soil health.
Effects of conventional versus biodegradable microplastic exposure on oxidative stress and gut microorganisms in earthworms: A comparison with two different soils
Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworms in two different soil types. Both types of microplastic caused oxidative stress and altered gut microbiota in earthworms, with toxicity increasing at higher concentrations. The study found that microplastic concentration was more important than the type of plastic or soil in determining the level of harm, and that biodegradable plastics were not necessarily safer for soil organisms.
Biodegradable microplastics exert differential impacts from polyethylene on pesticide fate in soil-earthworm systems: insights into degradation selectivity and microbial mechanisms
This study compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics affect pesticide behavior in soil with earthworms. Researchers found that PLA at high concentrations actually accelerated pesticide breakdown and increased the accumulation of pesticide byproducts in earthworms by up to 82%, while also causing oxidative stress and gut bacteria disruption, suggesting biodegradable plastics may pose their own set of environmental risks.
Comparison of the potential toxicity induced by microplastics made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) on the earthworm Eisenia foetida
Researchers compared the toxicity of microplastics made from conventional PET plastic and biodegradable PLA plastic on earthworms. Surprisingly, the supposedly eco-friendly PLA particles caused more harm than PET, triggering oxidative stress, tissue damage, and behavioral changes in the worms. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are always safer for soil organisms than traditional plastics.
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.
Exploring the toxicity of biodegradable microplastics and imidacloprid to earthworms (Eisenia fetida) from morphological and gut microbial perspectives
Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) combined with the pesticide imidacloprid caused more severe harm to earthworms than either pollutant alone, including higher death rates, tissue damage, and disrupted gut bacteria. This is concerning because PLA plastics are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, yet they can still break down into harmful microplastics in soil. The study shows that biodegradable plastics may actually make pesticide contamination worse for soil organisms.
Mineralization and microbial utilization of poly(lactic acid) microplastic in soil
Researchers tracked how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a common biodegradable plastic, actually break down in different agricultural soils. They found that standard testing methods significantly overestimate how quickly PLA degrades because they fail to account for interactions with soil organic matter. The study reveals that PLA microplastics may persist longer in some soils than previously thought, raising questions about how truly biodegradable these materials are in real-world conditions.
Earthworms’ Degradable Bioplastic Diet of Polylactic Acid: Easy to Break Down and Slow to Excrete
Researchers found that earthworms preferred ingesting both PET and PLA microplastics over clean soil, but bio-based PLA was more easily broken down in their guts while being excreted more slowly than fossil-based PET, raising concerns about bioplastic accumulation in soil organisms.
Soil application of PE and PLA microplastics alter earthworm (Eisenia nordenskioldi) gut bacterial community and soil microbiome-metabolome dynamics
Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on earthworm gut bacteria and soil ecosystems over 120 days. They found that polyethylene had a more significant impact on soil microbial communities and metabolic processes than PLA at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study highlights that both types of microplastics can alter soil ecosystems, but conventional plastics may pose greater ecological risks.
Response of earthworms to microplastics in soil under biogas slurry irrigation: Toxicity comparison of conventional and biodegradable microplastics
Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene microplastics to earthworms in soil irrigated with biogas slurry. They found that all microplastic types caused time-dependent toxicity, including tissue damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of antioxidant defense systems at higher concentrations. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may pose similar ecological risks to conventional plastics for soil organisms.
Unveiling the impact of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on meadow soil health
Scientists studied how biodegradable PLA microplastics affect meadow soil over 60 days and found they changed soil chemistry, enzyme activity, and microbial communities. Smaller PLA particles had a greater impact on enzyme activity, while larger particles changed soil properties more. These findings suggest that even biodegradable plastics can significantly alter soil health when they break down into microplastics.
Reassessing Whether Biodegradable Microplastics Are Environmentally Friendly: Differences in Earthworm Physiological Responses and Soil Carbon Function Impacts
Researchers compared the toxic effects of conventional (PP, PS) and biodegradable (PLA, PHA) microplastics on earthworm physiology and soil carbon function in haplic phaeozem soil. Biodegradable MPs were not environmentally friendly — PLA and PHA caused comparable or greater physiological stress in earthworms and disrupted soil carbon cycling to a similar degree as conventional plastics.
A comparison of the toxicity induced by the exposure to microplastics made of a conventional and a biodegradable polymer on the earthworm Eisenia fetida
Researchers compared the toxicity of conventional versus biodegradable polymer microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida, evaluating whether biodegradable alternatives present reduced ecotoxicological risk in soil environments where microplastic contamination is increasingly documented.
Earthworms mediate the influence of polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on soil bacterial communities
Researchers studied how earthworms interact with both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA microplastics in soil over 120 days. Both types of microplastics changed the composition of soil bacterial communities, but in different ways, and earthworms appeared to mediate these effects by consuming bacteria or altering soil conditions. The findings show that even biodegradable plastics disrupt soil ecosystems, and that soil organisms play a complex role in how microplastics affect the underground environment.
Evaluation of the impact of polylactide microparticles on soil biota
Researchers evaluated the environmental impact of polylactide (PLA) bioplastic microparticles on soil organisms using earthworms and plants as bioindicators. They found that while PLA microparticles did not affect earthworm survival, they reduced reproductive capacity by approximately 50% at concentrations of 2.5% and above. The study suggests that even biodegradable bioplastics can have measurable ecological effects on soil organisms, particularly on earthworm reproduction.
Integrated assessment of the chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological effects of a bio-packaging end-of-life in compost
This study tested what happens when a new type of biodegradable packaging breaks down during composting and how the residues affect earthworms. The bioplastic residues altered the earthworms' gut bacteria and caused measurable toxic effects, even though the packaging was designed to be environmentally friendly. The findings suggest that even compostable bioplastics may leave behind fragments that could affect soil organisms and potentially enter the food chain.
The impact of microplastic on nematodes: Soil type, plastic amount and aging as determinants for the fitness of Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers tested how two types of microplastics, conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA/PBAT, affected tiny soil worms called nematodes across different soil types. Conventional plastic at high concentrations reduced worm reproduction and growth, while the biodegradable plastic caused no harm. Importantly, as microplastics aged in the soil over time, their negative effects worsened, suggesting the long-term impact of plastic pollution in agricultural soil may be greater than short-term studies indicate.
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.
Aging of biodegradable plastics alters soil aggregate stability and organic carbon through shifts in microbial community composition
Researchers examined how polylactic acid (PLA) drinking straw fragments at varying concentrations alter soil aggregate stability, organic carbon, and microbial communities, finding that moderate concentrations initially boosted aggregate stability and microbial diversity before higher concentrations caused decline, while PLA degradation enriched potentially pathogenic bacteria.
Is the Polylactic Acid Fiber in Green Compost a Risk for Lumbricus terrestris and Triticum aestivum?
Researchers investigated whether polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic fibers found in green compost pose risks to earthworms and wheat plants. They found PLA debris in greenhouse composts and tested its ecotoxicity on soil organisms and crop growth under controlled conditions. The study suggests that while PLA is marketed as environmentally friendly, its debris in compost may still affect soil health indicators and warrants further investigation.
The Hidden Crisis of Biodegradable Plastics: Polylactic Acid Microplastics Increase Soil Cd and Pb Bioavailability and Associated Human Health Risks
Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, significantly increased the availability of toxic heavy metals like cadmium and lead in agricultural soil. The PLA particles altered soil chemistry and microbial communities, leading to greater heavy metal uptake by lettuce and substantially increased health risks for humans consuming the crops.
Short- and medium-term effects of biodegradable microplastics (PLA and PHB) on earthworm development and reproduction
Researchers tested whether biodegradable plastics (PLA and PHB) are truly safer for soil organisms than conventional polyethylene by exposing earthworms to all three types of microplastics. While none caused immediate harm or death, both PLA and conventional polyethylene reduced earthworm reproduction over medium-term exposure, producing fewer cocoons and offspring. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally harmless and suggests they may pose similar risks to soil ecosystems as conventional plastics.
Unravelling the ecological ramifications of biodegradable microplastics in soil environment: A systematic review
Researchers reviewed 85 studies on biodegradable microplastics in soil, finding that when biodegradable plastics fail to fully break down they can disrupt soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial life in ways that depend heavily on concentration and plastic type. The review highlights that "biodegradable" plastics are not a simple fix for microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.