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Microplastic Biomonitoring: Global Distribution, Matrix Selection, and Intrinsic and Extrinsic Effects
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This review summarizes existing research on using living organisms, mainly fish and bivalves, to track microplastic pollution, most often by examining their digestive tracts. It finds studies are concentrated in Europe, Asia, and water environments, and proposes a decision tool for choosing sample types, while noting links between biological traits and microplastic levels vary by species.
Due to their widespread distribution, persistence, and potential to release additives and adsorb environmental pollutants, microplastics pose complex risks to ecosystems and human health. Bioindicators can reflect microplastic pollution levels in specific environments, as well as reveal microplastic bioavailability, food chain transfer potential, and associated ecological risks, thereby providing key evidence for early warning systems and ecological health impact assessments. However, current biomonitoring studies have not yet provided a comprehensive synthesis of bioindicator distribution, monitoring matrix selection, intrinsic physiological traits, and extrinsic environmental influences. This review systematically analyzes these key aspects, with the following major findings: current research is unevenly distributed (primarily concentrated in Europe, Asia, and water environment; indicator species include fish and bivalves; and the biological substrate is mainly the digestive tract). By integrating factors including monitoring duration, quantitative accuracy, and ethical constraints, we established a research-objective-oriented decision tree for sample matrix selection. Further demonstrates that the correlation between biological traits and microplastic burden is species- and metric-dependent, and highlights the urgent need to establish a multi-indicator integrated assessment system and a novel toxicological framework.
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Microplastics’ Impact on the Environment and the Challenging Selection of Reliable Key Biomonitors
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This review examines the challenges of using living organisms as reliable monitors for microplastic pollution in the environment. Different species accumulate microplastics at different rates depending on their habitat, feeding habits, and body size, making it hard to compare results across studies. Establishing standardized biomonitors is important for accurately tracking how much microplastic contamination is reaching wildlife and, ultimately, the human food supply.
Microplastics in Global Marine Waters and Biota: Effectiveness of Potential Bioindicators in Mirroring Local Pollution Levels
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This review assessed the global occurrence of microplastics in marine waters and biota and evaluated the effectiveness of potential bioindicator species for monitoring plastic pollution. The authors find that standardizing bioindicator protocols is essential for tracking the effectiveness of microplastic mitigation efforts.
Occurrence, Distribution, and Extraction Methods of Microplastics in Marine Organisms
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This review synthesizes global data on microplastic occurrence and distribution across marine organisms, comparing the advantages and limitations of different extraction and identification methods used in the field.
Tracing Microplastic Pollution Through Animals: A Narrative Review of Bioindicator Approaches
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This review evaluates animals that have been proposed as bioindicators for monitoring microplastic pollution across aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial environments. Researchers found that bivalves like clams and mussels are among the most suitable indicators due to their wide distribution, effective microplastic retention, and well-established analytical methods. The study provides a framework for selecting appropriate sentinel species based on ecological, physiological, and methodological criteria.
Edible bivalves and gastropods as bioindicators of MP pollution: Contamination patterns, and environmental significance
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Shellfish like clams, mussels, and sea snails soak up tiny plastic particles from ocean water and sediment, and this review of existing studies found that snails tend to carry even more microplastic than clams or mussels — especially wild-caught ones. Since we typically eat these creatures whole, guts and all, this contamination matters for seafood lovers, though scientists still need more consistent testing methods to pin down exactly how much plastic ends up on our plates and what that means for our health.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.