Now Micro Plastics Can Increase Earthworm Mortality & Contaminate Soil
According to recent studies, the presence of micro plastics can inhibit earthworm growth and even cause them to lose weight, which might significantly & adversely affect the soil ecology.
Micro plastics in terrestrial ecosystems are extensively dispersed and have been shown to impact earthworms negatively.
Earthworms’ oxidative reactions, gene expression, growth, behaviour, and gut microbiota are all affected by micro plastics.
In addition to other contaminants, heavy metals, and hydrophobic organic compounds, micro plastics are frequently found together (HOCs).
Previously researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) looked at how ryegrass that had been put on top of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and micro plastic garment fibers (acrylic and nylon) affected earthworms that lived in the soil.
The study also discovered that the pH of the soil dropped when HDPE was present. Additionally, soil containing PLA, a biodegradable plastic, decreased the ryegrass’s shoot height (Lolium perenne). In contrast, fewer ryegrass seeds germinated in the presence of PLA and textile fibers.
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