Toxicity of two different size classes of tire particles from mixed end-of-life car tires to the springtail Sinella curviseta.

Tire particles (TPs) are one of the biggest contributors to microplastic pollution, with reported soil concentrations exceeding 1 % close to busy roads. Little research has been done on the impact of TPs on soil organisms. In this study, two size classes of tire particles, 0-75 μm and 75-180 μm, were compared to determine if size does influence their toxicity to the springtail Sinella curviseta.

Challenges and opportunities for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals in soils: a recap and follow-up of a setac webinar.

Soil sustainability is unquestionable but is under various threats, one of which includes chemical pollution. Under the vision of reaching healthy soils by 2050, the SETAC Webinar "Assessing Risks in Soil: Challenges and Opportunities" was held to understand the current state of soil health in Europe and, identify gaps in the environmental risk assessment (ERA) framework for chemicals entering soils. In reflection of the webinar and soil protection, strategies to describe the current state of soils, including knowledge on existing chemical pollution in soils and soil biodiversity metrics are discussed.

Unveiling the gut's plastic predicament: How micro- and nano-plastics drive distinct toxicological pathways in Enchytraeus crypticus.

The gut microenvironment is crucial for maintaining health of its host. However, there is currently limited mechanistic understanding of how stress from microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) alter this environment and its resulting biotoxicity. Here, we systematically investigated the biological responses - from physiology to pathology and from molecular interactions to phenotypic changes - of the soil invertebrate Enchytraeus crypticus exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene MPs (50 μm) and NPs (100 nm).

Effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of microplastics on soil organisms.

Soil ecosystems are considered important sinks for microplastics (MPs). However, the effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of MPs on soil organisms have rarely been assessed. This study aimed to evaluate the chronic effects of a mixture of MPs on two model soil organisms, the earthworm Eisenia andrei and the springtail Folsomia candida.

Strong bioaccumulation of a wide variety of PFAS in a contaminated terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem.

The widespread use of Per- and Poly Fluorinated Substances (PFAS) in a multitude of industrial and consumer applications, together with their persistence and mobility, has led to global contamination of the abiotic and biotic environment. Nevertheless, important knowledge gaps remain concerning PFAS occurrence and bioaccumulation, with studies tending to focus either on aquatic or on terrestrial ecosystems, with a bias towards the aquatic environment. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the distribution and bioaccumulation of various PFAS in a contaminated terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem.

Toxicity of Chlorfenapyr to Folsomia candida and Enchytraeus crypticus in natural and artificial soil.

Pesticides with vastly different modes of action are needed to combat pests that have become multi-pesticide resistant. One proposed alternative is the pyrrole insecticide chlorfenapyr. This pro-pesticide needs bioactivation by CYP450 enzymes to form the more potent metabolite tralopyril.

Bioaccumulation and toxicity of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA) in Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei.

The widespread use and persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have raised concerns about their ecological impacts. The relative lack of toxicological data for most current-use PFAS, including short-chain compounds such as perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and precursors such as perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA), is an uncertainty factor in ecological risk assessment. This study investigated the bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity (mortality, light avoidance, and change in soil granulometry as proxy of burrowing behaviour) of PFBS and FBSA in the earthworm species Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei in the natural standard LUFA 2.

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics during gestation and lactation impaired skeletal growth in progeny mice by inhibiting neutrophil extracellular trap formation.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are widely distributed in the natural environment and shown to accumulate in living organisms. While their potential impact on human health has been investigated, significant uncertainties remain regarding their toxic effects and mechanisms of interaction with the human skeletal system. We examined the potential effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs, 100 nm) on skeletal health and the underlying molecular mechanisms using the human RAW264.

The effect of clay type on the toxicity of carbendazim and imidacloprid to the earthworm Eisenia andrei in artificial soils.

In Europe, the risk assessment of pesticides to soils organisms is based on standardized laboratory toxicity tests using artificial soil containing kaolin clay. However, kaolin is not the most representative clay type for European agricultural soils, and its use may affect the bioavailability and toxicity of pesticides, potentially leading to an underestimation of the actual risk to soil organisms. In this study, reproduction toxicity tests with the earthworm Eisenia andrei following OECD guideline 222 were performed in artificial soils prepared with kaolin or bentonite clay, using the pesticides carbendazim and imidacloprid.

Teflubenzuron effects on springtail life history traits explained from impairment of its lipid metabolism.

This study investigated how the insecticide teflubenzuron disrupts lipid metabolism in the springtail Folsomia candida, revealing significant alterations in lipid profiles. F. candida was exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of teflubenzuron (0, 0.

Effects of biodegradable microplastics on soil microbial communities and activities: Insight from an ecological mesocosm experiment.

Microplastics (MP) are being released into the environment at an increasing rate, causing extensive pollution in soils and affecting biota and processes. Although the use of biodegradable plastic has increased, its effects on the soil microbial community are not yet well understood. A controlled mesocosm experiment was conducted to investigate the response of soil microbial communities to increasing amounts of starch-polybutylene adipate terephthalate MPs (PBAT-BD-MPs) added to the soil.

Multigeneration responses of Daphnia magna to short-chain per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).

Short-chain per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment, but their chronic effects on aquatic organisms over multiple generations are often overlooked in environmental risk assessment. In this study, the ecotoxicity of perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and its precursor perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA) to Daphnia magna was assessed under continuous exposure for six consecutive generations, with adult survival, reproduction, and population growth rate as endpoints. Observed effects were also related to internal PFAS concentrations in the daphnids.

The influence of soil organic matter content on the toxicity of pesticides to the enchytraeid Enchytraeus crypticus.

This study investigated the influence of soil organic matter (OM) content on the toxicity of five pesticides to Enchytraeus crypticus to assess the suitability of the correction factor (CF) of 2 currently applied to lipophilic (log K > 2) pesticides to correct for differences in bioavailability and toxicity between natural and artificial soil (AS) due to differences in OM content. Toxicity tests were performed following standardized guidelines using AS containing 10%, 5%, and 2.5% peat, and Landwirtschaftliche Untersuchungs-und Forschungsanstalt (LUFA) 2.

The influence of soil organic matter content on the toxicity of pesticides to the springtail Folsomia candida.

The European environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides to soil invertebrates applies a correction factor (CF) of 2 to endpoints derived from toxicity tests with lipophilic pesticides (log Kow > 2) to correct for differences in organic matter (OM) content between artificial soil (AS) and natural soils. Because the applicability of this CF to springtails has never been assessed, this study investigated the influence of soil OM content on the toxicity of five pesticide active substances differing in lipophilicity to the springtail Folsomia candida. Toxicity tests following Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development guideline 232 were conducted in AS containing 10%, 5%, and 2.

Exploring chitin metabolite profiles and sensitivity differences in Collembola species exposed to teflubenzuron.

Effective environmental risk assessments of chemical plant protection products, such as benzoylurea pesticides, are crucial for safeguarding ecosystems. These pesticides, including teflubenzuron, target chitin synthesis in arthropods but also pose risks to non-target soil fauna like Collembola, which play essential roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. This study combines traditional toxicity tests with a metabolomic approach to examine the interspecies specific sensitivity of three Collembola species - Sinella curviseta, Ceratophysella denticulata, and Folsomia candida - to teflubenzuron.

Survival and reproduction effects of microplastics from three agricultural mulching films on Folsomia candida, Sinella curviseta, Heteromurus nitidus and Ceratophysella denticulata (Collembola).

An estimated 467 kt of plastic used in agriculture annually end up in European soils, potentially breaking down into secondary microplastics (MPs). Not much is known about the possible effects of these MPs on organisms residing in the soil. To properly assess their environmental risk, experimental data is needed on the toxicity of MPs to the survival and reproduction of model organisms.

Automated quantification of Enchytraeus crypticus juveniles in different soil types using RootPainter.

The manual counting of juveniles in enchytraeid soil toxicity tests is time-consuming, labour-intensive, repetitive, prone to subjectivity, but can potentially be automated through deep learning methods using convolutional neural networks. This study investigated if RootPainter can be used as a tool to automatically quantify Enchytraeus crypticus juveniles in toxicity tests using different soil types. Toxicity tests were performed following OECD guideline 220 using five different pesticides (two fungicides and three insecticides) and four different soil types (three OECD artificial soils and one natural LUFA 2.

Biodegradable microplastics induce profound changes in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) defense mechanisms and to some extent deteriorate growth traits.

The development of agricultural technologies has intensified the use of plastic in this sector. Products of plastic degradation, such as microplastics (MPs), potentially threaten living organisms, biodiversity and agricultural ecosystem functioning. Thus, biodegradable plastic materials have been introduced to agriculture.

Bioturbation Affects Bioaccumulation: PFAS Uptake from Sediments by a Rooting Macrophyte and a Benthic Invertebrate.

Despite the widespread presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in freshwater environments, only a few studies have addressed their bioaccumulation in macrophytes and benthic invertebrates. This study therefore aimed at investigating the presence of 40 PFAS in sediments, assessing their bioaccumulation in a rooting macrophyte () and a benthic invertebrate () and examining the effects of the presence and bioturbation activity of the invertebrate on PFAS bioaccumulation in the plants. The macrophytes were exposed to sediments originating from a reference and a PFAS-contaminated site.

Two-Dimensional Layered Nano-MoS Induces Earthworm Immune Cell Apoptosis by Regulating Lysosomal Maintenance and Function: Toward Unbiased Screening and Validation of Suspicious Pathways.

Molybdenum-based nanosheets (NSMoS) are increasingly applied in various fields and undergoing relevant risk evaluations on subjectively hypothesized toxicity pathways. However, risk assessment should be unbiased and focus on appropriate end points to avoid biased prescreening. Here, we developed an adverse biological outcome screening strategy based on nontargeted functional protein profiles in earthworm () immune cells exposed to NSMoS and their ionic counterpart (NaMoO).

Microplastics originated from agricultural mulching films affect enchytraeid multigeneration reproduction and soil properties.

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly entering agricultural soils, often from the breakdown of agricultural plastics (e.g., mulching films).

Foliar Exposure of Deuterium Stable Isotope-Labeled Nanoplastics to Lettuce: Quantitative Determination of Foliar Uptake, Transport, and Trophic Transfer in a Terrestrial Food Chain.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are widely detected in the atmosphere and are likely to be deposited on plant leaves. However, our understanding of their foliar uptake, translocation, and trophic transfer profiles is limited due to a lack of quantitative analytical tools to effectively probe mechanisms of action. Here, using synthesized deuterium (H) stable isotope-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics (H-PSNPs), the foliar accumulation and translocation of NPs in lettuce and the dynamics of NP transfer along a lettuce-snail terrestrial food chain were investigated.

Multigenerational toxicity of microplastics derived from two types of agricultural mulching films to Folsomia candida.

Degradation and fragmentation of mulching films represents an increasing source of microplastics (MPs, plastic particles 1 μm to 5 mm in size) to agricultural soils. MPs have been shown to affect many soil invertebrates, including springtails. However, these studies typically use test materials representing less environmentally relevant particle types, such as pristine uniform MPs, which do not represent the large range of particle sizes and morphologies found in the field.

Field-realistic doses of the neonicotinoid acetamiprid impact natural soil arthropod community diversity and structure.

The neonicotinoid acetamiprid is used as a foliar insecticide spray, which results in direct exposure of a wide variety of soil organisms. Laboratory testing indicated that acetamiprid is toxic to the Collembola (springtails) species Folsomia candida, while Acari (mites) seem relatively insensitive to neonicotinoids. Since such opposing effects on different soil arthropods might imbalance natural arthropod communities, this study determined: (i) if field-realistic doses of acetamiprid affect the abundance and diversity in soil arthropod communities, and (ii) whether these potential effects are short-term or persist after degradation of acetamiprid.

Thermal adaptation affects the temperature-dependent toxicity of the insecticide imidacloprid to soil invertebrates.

Terrestrial ectotherms are vulnerable to climate change since their biological rates depend on the ambient temperature. As temperature may interact with toxicant exposure, climate change may cause unpredictable responses to toxic stress. A population's thermal adaptation will impact its response to temperature change, but also to interactive effects from temperature and toxicants, but these effects are still not fully understood.