Direct and indirect effects of microplastics from agricultural mulch films on terrestrial isopods Porcellionides pruinosus (Crustacea, Isopoda)

Microplastic (MPs) contamination in terrestrial ecosystems is an emerging concern, with indirect impacts on soil biota often exceeding direct toxicity. This study examined direct and indirect effects of MPs from agricultural mulch films—low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and starch bioplastics (starch-based)—on the soil isopod Porcellionides pruinosus. We conducted comparative feeding and mesocosm experiments under environmentally realistic conditions. We analysed toxicological endpoints like survival and weight change, and stress-related markers like total haemocyte count, differential haemocyte count, phenoloxidase PO-like activity, enzymatic assays of acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, and electron transport system activity. No acute toxicity was observed