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Gautam K, Dwivedi S, Verma R, Vamadevan B, Patnaik S, Anbumani S. Combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and carbendazim on Eisenia fetida: A comprehensive ecotoxicological study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123854. [PMID: 38527586 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is becoming an emerging environmental concern across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Plastic mulching and the use of pesticides in agriculture can lead to microplastics and agrochemicals in soil, which can result in unintended exposure to non-target organisms. The combined toxicity of multiple stressors represents a significant paradigm shift within the field of ecotoxicology, and its exploration within terrestrial ecosystems involving microplastics is still relatively limited. The present study investigated the combined effects of polyethylene MP (PE-MP) and the agrochemical carbendazim (CBZ) on the earthworm Eisenia fetida at different biological levels of organization. While E. fetida survival and reproduction did not exhibit significant effects following PE-MP treatment, there was a reduction in cocoon and hatchling numbers. Notably, prolonged exposure revealed delayed toxicity, leading to substantial growth impairment. Exposure to CBZ led to significant alterations in the endpoints mentioned above. While there was a decrease in cocoon and hatchling numbers, the combined treatment did not yield significant effects on earthworm reproduction except at higher concentrations. However, lower concentrations of PE-MP alongside CBZ induced a noteworthy decline in biomass content, signifying a form of potentiation interaction. In addition, concurrent exposure led to synergistic effects, from oxidative stress to modifications in vital organs such as the body wall, intestines, and reproductive structures (spermathecae, seminal vesicles, and ovarian follicles). The comparison of multiple endpoints revealed that seminal vesicles and ovarian follicles were the primary targets during the combined exposure. The research findings suggest that there are variable and complex responses to microplastic toxicity in terrestrial ecosystems, especially when combined with other chemical stressors like agrochemicals. Despite these difficulties, the study implies that microplastics can alter earthworms' responses to agrochemical exposure, posing potential ecotoxicological risks to soil fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Gautam
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, REACT Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, C.R. Krishnamurti (CRK) Campus, Lucknow, 226 008, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Shreya Dwivedi
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, REACT Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, C.R. Krishnamurti (CRK) Campus, Lucknow, 226 008, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rahul Verma
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India; Water Analysis Laboratory, FEST Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Beena Vamadevan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India; Central Pathology Laboratory, ASSIST Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Satyakam Patnaik
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India; Water Analysis Laboratory, FEST Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sadasivam Anbumani
- Ecotoxicology Laboratory, REACT Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, C.R. Krishnamurti (CRK) Campus, Lucknow, 226 008, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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Yun X, Zhang L, Wang W, Gu J, Wang Y, He Y, Ji R. Composition, Release, and Transformation of Earthworm Tissue-Bound Residues of Tetrabromobisphenol A in Soil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2069-2077. [PMID: 38237036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Earthworms accumulate organic pollutants to form earthworm tissue-bound residues (EBRs); however, the composition and fate of EBRs in soil remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the fate of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)-derived EBRs in soil for 250 days using a 14C-radioactive isotope tracer and the geophagous earthworm Metaphire guillelmi. The EBRs of TBBPA in soil were rapidly transformed into nonextractable residues (NERs), mainly in the form of sequestered and ester-linked residues. After 250 days of incubation, 4.9% of the initially applied EBRs were mineralized and 69.3% were released to extractable residues containing TBBPA and its transformation products (TPs, generated mainly via debromination, O-methylation, and skeletal cleavage). Soil microbial activity and autolytic enzymes of earthworms jointly contributed to the release process. In their full-life period, the earthworms overall retained 24.1% TBBPA and its TPs in soil and thus prolonged the persistence of these pollutants. Our study explored, for the first time, the composition and fate of organic pollutant-derived EBRs in soil and indicated that the decomposition of earthworms may release pollutants and cause potential environmental risks of concern, which should be included in both environmental risk assessment and soil remediation using earthworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lidan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wenji Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jianqiang Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yongfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yujie He
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Rong Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of The Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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