Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Lodz University of Technology, Al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, ul. Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Nov 10;898:165423. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165423. Epub 2023 Jul 9.
The contribution of bio-based plastics in the global market is gradually growing and diversifying. Therefore, it is necessary to assess their environmental impact including the biotic parts of ecosystems. Earthworms are regarded as functionally essential and useful bioindicators of ecological disturbances in the terrestrial ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of three innovative bio-based plastics on earthworms Eisenia andrei in the long-term experiments. It comprised the mortality, body mass and reproduction ability of earthworms as well as the oxidative stress response. Regarding the latter the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) involved in the antioxidant system of earthworms were determined. Two out of three bio-based materials tested were polylactic acid-based (PLA-based) plastics, while one was poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate)-based (PHBV-based) plastic. Neither mortality nor weight of adult earthworms was affected even at high concentration of the bio-based plastics up to 12.5 % w/w in the soil. Reproduction ability occurred to be more sensitive endpoint than mortality or body mass. At the concentration of 12.5 % w/w each of the studied bio-based plastics contributed to the decrease of the earthworm reproduction at statistically significant level. PLA-based plastics exerted stronger effect on earthworm reproduction ability than PHBV-based plastic did. CAT activity turned out to be a good indicator of the cellular response against oxidative stress induced by bio-based plastics in earthworms. The activity of this enzyme increased in the response to the exposure to the bio-based plastics compared to the level achieved in the control tests. It was from 16 % to about 84 % dependent on the material tested and its concentration in the soil. Finally, the reproduction ability and catalase activity are recommended to be used in the evaluation of the potential impacts of bio-based plastics on earthworms.
生物基塑料在全球市场中的贡献逐渐增加且呈现多样化。因此，有必要评估它们的环境影响，包括生态系统的生物部分。蚯蚓被认为是陆地生态系统中生态干扰的功能上重要和有用的生物指标。本研究的目的是评估三种创新型生物基塑料对长期实验中赤子爱胜蚓的影响。该实验包括蚯蚓的死亡率、体重和繁殖能力以及氧化应激反应。关于后者，测定了蚯蚓抗氧化系统中涉及的过氧化氢酶 (CAT) 和超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD) 的活性。在所测试的三种生物基材料中，有两种是基于聚乳酸的（PLA 基）塑料，而另一种是基于聚羟基丁酸酯-共-戊酸酯的（PHBV 基）塑料。即使在土壤中生物基塑料的浓度高达 12.5%（w/w）的高浓度下，也没有观察到死亡率或成年蚯蚓体重的变化。繁殖能力比死亡率或体重更敏感。在每种研究生物基塑料的浓度为 12.5%（w/w）时，都会导致蚯蚓繁殖能力在统计学上显著降低。PLA 基塑料对蚯蚓繁殖能力的影响强于 PHBV 基塑料。CAT 活性是蚯蚓对生物基塑料诱导的氧化应激细胞反应的良好指标。与对照试验中达到的水平相比，该酶的活性在暴露于生物基塑料时增加。它取决于所测试的材料及其在土壤中的浓度，从 16%到 84%不等。最后，建议将繁殖能力和过氧化氢酶活性用于评估生物基塑料对蚯蚓的潜在影响。
