Worm responses to plastic exposure varied across species and feeding habits
A review found cellular and reproductive changes in some annelids; survival and population effects were often not detected during short or environmentally realistic exposures.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Responses to microplastics and nanoplastics varied with species, feeding habits and particle characteristics. Worms that consume sediment or decaying material often showed cellular stress, gut-microbe changes and reproductive impairment. Survival and population effects were often not detected during short or environmentally realistic exposures; this does not establish that such effects cannot occur.
The abstract covers annelid ecology and does not establish implications for human health. Study counts, pooled effect sizes and exposure durations are missing, limiting comparison of individual findings.
Different feeding habits
Sediment and detritus feeders often showed physiological changes, while filter feeders could retain particles with limited direct effects. Carnivorous worms were described as helping transfer plastics through feeding relationships, showing that ecological roles differed.
Particle properties also mattered
Smaller particles, irregular shapes, polymer type and chemical aging were repeatedly linked to adverse responses. The abstract summarizes these patterns across studies without providing effect estimates that would allow their relative importance to be compared.
The original publication
Microplastic pollution in annelids: A systematic review of species-specific impacts, toxicity pathways, and ecological risks.
Sawangproh W, Phaenark C, Paejaroen P
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41512779
- Record checked
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