Enchytraeus crypticus Avoid Soil Spiked with Microplastic

Stephan Pflugmacher; Johanna H Huttunen; Marya-Anne von Wolff; Olli-Pekka Penttinen; Yong Jun Kim; Sanghun Kim; Simon M Mitrovic; Maranda Esterhuizen-Londt

doi:10.3390/toxics8010010

Enchytraeus crypticus Avoid Soil Spiked with Microplastic

Toxics. 2020 Feb 10;8(1):10. doi: 10.3390/toxics8010010.

Authors

Stephan Pflugmacher^{1

2

3}, Johanna H Huttunen^{1

2}, Marya-Anne von Wolff^{2

4}, Olli-Pekka Penttinen^{1

2}, Yong Jun Kim², Sanghun Kim⁵, Simon M Mitrovic⁶, Maranda Esterhuizen-Londt^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Aquatic Ecotoxicology in an Urban Environment, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland.
² Joint Laboratory of Applied Ecotoxicology, Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe) Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Universität des Saarlandes Campus E7 1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
³ University of Helsinki, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Fabianinkatu 33, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Technical University of Berlin, Department of Civil Engineering, Group of Building Materials and Construction Chemistry, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Kyungsung University, Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Centre for Chemical Safety Reseach, 309, Suyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48434, Korea.
⁶ School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia.

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) of varying sizes are widespread pollutants in our environment. The general opinion is that the smaller the size, the more dangerous the MPs are due to enhanced uptake possibilities. It would be of considerably ecological significance to understand the response of biota to microplastic contamination both physically and physiologically. Here, we report on an area choice experiment (avoidance test) using Enchytraeus crypticus, in which we mixed different amounts of high-density polyethylene microplastic particles into the soil. In all experimental scenarios, more Enchytraeids moved to the unspiked sections or chose a lower MP-concentration. Worms in contact with MP exhibited an enhanced oxidative stress status, measured as the induced activity of the antioxidative enzymes catalase and glutathione S-transferase. As plastic polymers per se are nontoxic, the exposure time employed was too short for chemicals to leach from the microplastic, and as the microplastic particles used in these experiments were too large (4 mm) to be consumed by the Enchytraeids, the likely cause for the avoidance and oxidative stress could be linked to altered soil properties.

Keywords: < /i> Enchytraeus crypticus< avoidance test; catalase; enchytraeids; glutathione S-transferase; i> microplastic; oxidative stress; toxicity.