Isolation and Characterization of Microplastics from Soil Samples and its Toxicological Consequences on Eudrilus eugeniae: A Comprehensive Study

Abstract

Soil is an important sink of microplastics (MPs), but their effect on soil organisms needs to be better studied. The presence of MPs in soil has an adverse impact on the environment. In the present study, we characterized the MPs present in the soil using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. After characterization, the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae was exposed to different concentrations of polythene MPs ranging from 200 mg/kg to 1000 mg/kg. The toxic effects of MPs on earthworm were determined by studying the biochemical enzymes, mortality and growth of earthworms. It was observed that there was an increase in mortality and a decrease in the weight of earthworms after exposure to higher concentrations of MPs and for a longer duration (35-56 days). There was also an alteration in metabolic profile also, leading to alteration in carbohydrate, lipid and protein content. This study aims to provide information on the toxicological effect of MPs on E. eugeniae, a commonly less studied earthworm species but of vast importance in vermicomposting.