Two types of microplastics (polystyrene-HBCD and car tire abrasion) affect oxidative stress-related biomarkers in earthworm Eisenia andrei in a time-dependent manner

  • Microplastics are small plastic fragments that are widely distributed in marine and terrestrial environments. While the soil ecosystem represents a large reservoir for plastic, research so far has focused mainly on the impact on aquatic ecosystems and there is a lack of information on the potentially adverse effects of microplastics on soil biota. Earthworms are key organisms of the soil ecosystem and are due to their crucial role in soil quality and fertility a suitable and popular model organism in soil ecotoxicology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei on multiple levels of biological organization after different exposure periods. Earthworms were exposed to two types of microplastics: (1) polystyrene-HBCD and (2) car tire abrasion in natural soil for 2, 7, 14 and 28 d. Acute and chronic toxicity and all subcellular investigations were conducted for all exposure times, avoidance behavior assessed after 48 h and reproduction after 28 d. Subcellular endpoints included enzymatic biomarker responses, namely, carboxylesterase, glutathione peroxidase, acetylcholinesterase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities, as well as fluorescence-based measurements of oxidative stress-related markers and multixenobiotic resistance activity. Multiple biomarkers showed significant changes in activity, but a recovery of most enzymatic activities could be observed after 28 d. Overall, only minor effects could be observed on a subcellular level, showing that in this exposure scenario with environmentally relevant concentrations based on German pollution levels the threat to soil biota is minimal. However, in areas with higher concentrations of microplastics in the environment, these results can be interpreted as an early warning signal for more adverse effects. In conclusion, these findings provide new insights regarding the ecotoxicological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on soil organisms.
Metadaten
Author:Carina LackmannORCiDGND, Mirna VelkiORCiD, Antonio ŠimićORCiD, Axel MüllerGND, Ulrike BraunORCiDGND, Sandra EčimovićORCiD, Henner HollertORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-784593
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107190
ISSN:1873-6750
Parent Title (English):Environment international
Publisher:Elsevier Science
Place of publication:Amsterdam [u.a.]
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2022/03/19
Date of first Publication:2022/03/19
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Release Date:2024/08/19
Tag:Biomarker; Earthworms; Microplastics; Oxidative stress; Toxicity
Volume:163
Issue:art. 107190
Article Number:107190
Page Number:12
First Page:1
Last Page:12
Note:
This work was supported by the BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung) and the Umweltbundesamt (project code number 3717 72 232 0).
Note:
Die Grafikdatei 1-s2.0-S0160412022001167-ga1.jpg stellt einen "graphical abstract" dar
HeBIS-PPN:521203511
Institutes:Biowissenschaften
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie
3 Sozialwissenschaften / 33 Wirtschaft / 333 Boden- und Energiewirtschaft / 333.7 Natürliche Ressourcen, Energie und Umwelt
Sammlungen:Universitätspublikationen
Open-Access-Publikationsfonds:Biowissenschaften
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International