Despite concerns about the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in soils, there is a limited understanding of the reproductive toxicity of microplastics to soil organisms and the production of nanoplastics through biological fragmentation. We used the earthworm Eisenia andrei to investigate the generation of nanoplastics from polyethylene microplastics in soil ecosystems and to determine the negative effects of microplastic exposure on soil invertebrates. Earthworms were exposed to two different sizes of microplastic for 21 days, and various physiological features, including those pertaining to reproduction, were subsequently analyzed. Exposure to microplastics affected coelomocyte viability and caused damage to male reproductive organs, while having negligible effects on female reproductive organs. Earthworm-induced fragmentation of microplastics to nanoplastics was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. These nanoplastics were introduced into soils through cast excretion. We provide the evidence of nanoplastic generation from ingested microplastics and damage caused to earthworm spermatogenesis through microplastic exposure.

尽管担心微塑料在土壤中的生态毒理作用，但对微塑料对土壤生物的生殖毒性和通过生物破碎产生纳米塑料的认识有限。我们用了E Eisenia andrei调查聚乙烯微塑料在土壤生态系统中产生纳米塑料的情况，并确定微塑料暴露对土壤无脊椎动物的负面影响。将were暴露于两种不同大小的微塑料中21天，然后分析各种生理特征，包括与生殖有关的生理特征。暴露于微塑料中会影响粒细胞活力，并损害男性生殖器官，而对女性生殖器官的影响却微不足道。使用扫描电子显微镜和能量色散X射线分析证实了worm诱导的微塑料碎裂为纳米塑料。这些纳米塑料通过粪便排泄引入土壤中。