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Consequences of combined exposure to thermal stress and the plasticiser DEHP in Mytilus spp. differ by sex
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Scientists found that warming waters and DEHP (a chemical used to soften plastics) affect male and female mussels differently, with males being more sensitive to heat stress and females showing changes tied to the plastic chemical. This matters because mussels are a popular seafood, and these combined stressors could disrupt their breeding cycles, potentially affecting seafood supplies as ocean temperatures rise and plastic pollution continues, while also raising questions about how DEHP exposure (which humans encounter too, through food and plastic products) might affect reproductive health more broadly.
Little is known about the combined effect of environmental factors and contaminants on commercially important marine species, and whether this effect differs by sex. In this study, blue mussels were exposed for seven days to both single and combined stressors (i.e., +3 °C elevated temperature and two environmentally relevant concentrations of the plastic softener DEHP, 0.5 and 50 μg/l) in a factorial design. Males were observed to be more sensitive to high temperature, demonstrated by the significant increase in out-of-season spawning gonads and higher gene expression of the antioxidant catalase and the estrogen receptor genes. On the other hand, while the gametogenesis cycle in females was more resilient than in males, DEHP exposure altered the estrogen-related receptor gene expression. We show that the combined stressors DEHP and increased temperature, in environmentally relevant magnitudes, have different consequences in male and female mussels, with the potential to impact the timing and breeding season success in Mytilus spp.
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Researchers examined how sex and reproductive stage affect the toxicity of plastic leachates in mussels, finding that biological factors like reproductive cycle significantly influence how marine invertebrates respond to plastic chemical contamination.
Sex and gametogenesis stage are strong drivers of gene expression in Mytilus edulis exposed to environmentally relevant plasticiser levels and pH 7.7
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Researchers found that sex and reproductive stage were stronger drivers of gene expression in blue mussels than either ocean acidification or exposure to the plasticiser DEHP, underscoring the importance of accounting for biological variables in pollution studies.
Reproductive Effects of Phthalates and Microplastics on Marine Mussels Based on Adverse Outcome Pathway
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Researchers found that microplastics and the chemical plasticizer DEHP that leaches from them work together to disrupt reproductive function in female mussels by interfering with estrogen signaling and reducing hormone levels. While this study focused on marine mussels, DEHP is a known endocrine disruptor in humans as well, and the findings illustrate how microplastics can release harmful chemicals that affect hormone systems.
Combined ecotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate increase exposure risks to Mytilus coruscus based on the bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, metabolic profiles, and nutritional interferences
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Researchers exposed hard-shelled mussels to a common plastic additive (DEHP) and polystyrene microplastics together, and found that the microplastics increased how much DEHP accumulated in the animals' digestive organs. The combined exposure disrupted the mussels' antioxidant defenses and altered their metabolic processes more than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of chemical pollutants in marine organisms.
Exposure to Plasticiser DEHP Affects Eggs Spawned by Blue Mussels: A Possible Risk to Fertilisation?
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Researchers exposed blue mussels to the plasticizer DEHP, a chemical commonly found in plastic products and marine waters, and examined its effects on egg production during spawning. They found that even at environmentally relevant concentrations, DEHP exposure reduced the number of eggs spawned by female mussels. The study suggests that widespread plasticizer contamination in ocean waters could pose a risk to the reproductive success of filter-feeding marine organisms.
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