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Oxidative and metabolic responses in Crassostrea gasar under combined stressors of elevated temperature and microplastic exposure
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Researchers exposed oysters (Crassostrea gasar) to polystyrene microplastics at different temperatures to assess their combined effects on oxidative stress and energy metabolism. The study found that both gills and digestive glands accumulated microplastics regardless of temperature, and that the combination of thermal stress and microplastic exposure produced distinct patterns of oxidative stress and metabolic disruption compared to either stressor alone.
This study investigates two critical threats to species such as the oyster Crassostrea gasar: elevated temperatures and microplastic (MP) contamination. To assess the combined effects of MP and temperature, oysters were exposed to different temperatures (20 °C, 26 °C, and 28 °C, with 20 °C considered the control group) and to a nominal concentration of 100 μg/L of MP (spherical polystyrene, 1.1 μm) at the same temperatures for 7 days. Oxidative stress parameters were analyzed, including the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), as well as glutathione (GSH) levels and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, energy metabolism indicators, such as glucose and lactate levels and lactate dehydrogenase activity, were evaluated, along with the accumulation of MP in the gills and digestive glands of oysters. The results showed that regardless of temperature both gills and digestive gland accumulated MP. Besides, the thermal stress increased GST activity in both tissues and altered GSH levels. At the highest temperature, MP exposure led to increased SOD activity in the gills and decreased CAT activity in the digestive gland. GST activity was elevated in oysters exposed to MP at 20 °C, alongside higher GSH levels. At 26 °C, glucose and lactate levels, as well as lactate dehydrogenase activity, were significantly elevated. Co-exposure to MP notably affected oysters at 26 °C, reducing glucose levels in the gills while increasing them in the digestive gland. The Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) index revealed that co-exposure had a more pronounced impact on the gills than on the digestive gland. Overall, this study underscores how a commercially important oyster species could be adversely affected by the combined impacts of global warming and MP contamination.
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Researchers exposed Pacific oysters to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics during a simulated tidal cycle and then subjected them to warming during low tide. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted the oysters' metabolism and made them more vulnerable to heat stress, with effects worsening over time even at very low particle concentrations. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may reduce the ability of intertidal shellfish to cope with rising temperatures.
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Researchers exposed oysters to microplastics under combined conditions of elevated temperature and ocean acidification, finding that climate change stressors significantly altered the cellular response to MP pollution. Temperature had a stronger effect than acidification, and combined stressors produced non-additive interactions in immune and oxidative stress markers.
Metabolic profiles and protein expression responses of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) to polystyrene microplastic stress
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Researchers exposed Pacific oysters to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found the particles caused oxidative stress and disrupted the oysters' metabolism, particularly amino acid processing. Different microplastic concentrations triggered different metabolic changes in the oysters. Since oysters are a popular seafood, these findings raise questions about food safety and whether microplastic-stressed shellfish could affect consumer health.
"Groundbreaking study: Combined effect of marine heatwaves and polyethylene microplastics on Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas"
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Researchers studied the combined effects of marine heatwaves and polyethylene microplastics on Pacific oysters, an important aquaculture species. They found that elevated temperatures and microplastic exposure together caused greater stress responses than either factor alone, affecting the oysters' immune function and energy reserves. The study highlights the growing ecological risk from multiple environmental stressors acting simultaneously on marine organisms.
Microplastics and warming: Metabolic disorders in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from the intertidal zone
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Researchers exposed intertidal Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to environmentally realistic concentrations of polystyrene microplastic beads (0.025 and 25 µg/L) under simulated tidal cycling, then analyzed gill and digestive gland metabolomes by 1H-NMR spectroscopy at multiple time points. Initial results showed that neither MP exposure nor short-term warming significantly altered the oyster metabolome under the tested conditions.
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