Volume 10, Issue 4 (9-2023)
J Environ Health Eng 2023, 10(4): 372-381 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Hamidianfar N, Chamani A, Ataabadi M, Zamani Ahmad Mahmoodi R. Cadmium and copper absorption by Eisenia fetida in the presence of different concentrations of microplastics. J Environ Health Eng 2023; 10 (4) :372-381
URL: http://jehe.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1003-en.html
URL: http://jehe.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1003-en.html
Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Waste and Wastewater Research Center, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract: (1147 Views)
Background: Soil serves as the primary repository for microplastics, yet their impact on soil-dwelling organisms remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to investigate the influence of varying concentrations of microplastics in soil on the absorption of Cd and Cu by Eisenia fetida within an artificial soil matrix.
Methods: The artificial soil consisted of kaolinite clay (20% dry weight), quartz sand (70% dry weight), and Sphagnum peat (10% dry weight). Microplastics, derived from worn-out tire rubber, were incorporated into the soil to establish four concentration levels: 5, 25, 50, and 100 grams of tire microplastics per 500 grams of dry soil. Each treatment was inoculated with ten mature earthworms, weighing between 3.0 and 5.0 grams. After 14 days, samples were collected for ICP analysis.
Results: : The highest accumulation of both metals was observed in treatments with 25, 50, and 100 grams of tire microplastics. The results demonstrated significant disparities in copper and cadmium accumulation in the tissue samples following the introduction of tire wear particles, indicating an augmenting effect of tire particles on metal uptake by the samples. Statistically notable reductions (p < 0.05) in Cd and Cu concentrations were noted in both the control soil and soil containing microplastics, particularly in the 100-gram microplastic treatment for Cd and the 50-gram microplastic treatment for Cu.
Conclusion: Exposure to a combination of microplastics, Cd, and Cu has more pronounced adverse effects on E. fetida, and microplastics enhance the bioavailability of heavy metal ions within the soil environment.
Methods: The artificial soil consisted of kaolinite clay (20% dry weight), quartz sand (70% dry weight), and Sphagnum peat (10% dry weight). Microplastics, derived from worn-out tire rubber, were incorporated into the soil to establish four concentration levels: 5, 25, 50, and 100 grams of tire microplastics per 500 grams of dry soil. Each treatment was inoculated with ten mature earthworms, weighing between 3.0 and 5.0 grams. After 14 days, samples were collected for ICP analysis.
Results: : The highest accumulation of both metals was observed in treatments with 25, 50, and 100 grams of tire microplastics. The results demonstrated significant disparities in copper and cadmium accumulation in the tissue samples following the introduction of tire wear particles, indicating an augmenting effect of tire particles on metal uptake by the samples. Statistically notable reductions (p < 0.05) in Cd and Cu concentrations were noted in both the control soil and soil containing microplastics, particularly in the 100-gram microplastic treatment for Cd and the 50-gram microplastic treatment for Cu.
Conclusion: Exposure to a combination of microplastics, Cd, and Cu has more pronounced adverse effects on E. fetida, and microplastics enhance the bioavailability of heavy metal ions within the soil environment.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2023/09/20 | Accepted: 2023/10/16 | Published: 2023/12/13
Received: 2023/09/20 | Accepted: 2023/10/16 | Published: 2023/12/13
References
1. 1.Alimba C, Faggio C. Microplastics in the marine environment: current trends in environmental pollution and mechanisms of toxicological profifile. Environ. Toxicol Pharmacol. 2019; (68): 61-74. [DOI:10.1016/j.etap.2019.03.001] [PMID]
2. Sheng Y, Liu Y, Wang K, et al. Ecotoxicological effects of micronized car tire wear particles and their heavy metals on the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) in soil. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 793, 148613. [DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148613] [PMID]
3. Besseling E, Wegner A, Foekema M, et al. Effects of microplastic on fitness and PCB bioaccumulation by the lugworm Arenicola marina (L.). Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013; 47(1): 593-600. [DOI:10.1021/es302763x] [PMID]
4. de Souza Machado A, Kloas W, Zarfl C, et al. Microplastics as an emerging threat to terrestrial ecosystems. Glob. Chang. Biol. 2018; 24(4): 1405-1416. [DOI:10.1111/gcb.14020] [PMID] []
5. Edwards C, Arancon N. Earthworms as pests and benefactors. Biology and ecology of earthworms. Springer. 2022. [DOI:10.1007/978-0-387-74943-3]
6. OECD. Guideline for Testing of Chemicals, No. 222, Earthworm Reproduction Test (Eisenia Fetida/andrei). Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development: Paris France. 2004.
7. Page A, Miller R, Keeney D. Methods in soil analysis. Part 2: chemical and microbiological properties. Agronomy 9. 1982. [DOI:10.2134/agronmonogr9.2.2ed]
8. Walkley A, Black I. An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci. 1934; 37(1): 29-38. [DOI:10.1097/00010694-193401000-00003]
9. Ragoobur D, Huerta-Lwanga E, Somaroo G. Reduction of microplastics in sewage sludge by vermicomposting. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2022; 450(3), 138231. [DOI:10.1016/j.cej.2022.138231]
10. Verdu I, Trigo D, Martinez-Guitarte J, et al. Bisphenol a in artificial soil:effects on growth, reproduction and immunity in earthworms. Chemosphere. 2018; 190(1): 287-295. [DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.09.122] [PMID]
11. Lu K, Qiao R, An H, et al . Influence of microplastics on the accumulation and chronic toxic effects of cadmium in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Chemosphere. 2018; 202(1), 514-520. [DOI:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.145] [PMID]
12. Chen K, Tang R, Luo Y, et al. Transcriptomic and metabolic responses of earthworms to contaminated soil with polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2022; 427, 128176. [DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.128176] [PMID]
13. Chai B, Wei Q, She Y, et al. Soil microplastic pollution in an e-waste dismantling zone of China. Waste Management. 2020; 118(1), 291-301. [DOI:10.1016/j.wasman.2020.08.048] [PMID]
14. Wang L, Peng Y, Xu Y, et al . Earthworms' degradable bioplastic diet of polylactic acid: easy to break down and slow to excrete. Environmental science & technology. 2022; 56 (8), 5020-5028. [DOI:10.1021/acs.est.1c08066] [PMID]
15. Huang C, Ge Y, Yue S, et al. Microplastics aggravate the joint toxicity to earthworm Eisenia fetida with cadmium by altering its availability. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 753, 142042. [DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142042] [PMID]
16. Fourie F, Reinecke S, Reinecke A. The determination of earthworm species sensitivity differences to cadmium genotoxicity using the comet assay. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety. 2007; 67 (3), 361-368. [DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2006.10.005] [PMID]
17. Zhou Y, Liu X, Wang J. Ecotoxicological effects of microplastics and cadmium on the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Journal of hazardous materials. 2020; 392, 122273. [DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122273] [PMID]
18. Meng K, Huerta Lwanga E, Zee M, et al. Fragmentation and depolymerization of microplastics in the earthworm gut: A potential for microplastic bioremediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2023; 447, 130765. [DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130765] [PMID]
19. Mai H, Thien N, Dung N, Valentin C. Impacts of microplastics and heavy metals on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and on soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2023; 30 (23), 64576-64588. [DOI:10.1007/s11356-023-27002-4] [PMID]
20. Li M, Liu Y, Xu G, et al. Impacts of polyethylene microplastics on bioavailability and toxicity of metals in soil. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 760, 144037. [DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144037] [PMID]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
