We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Pathological and biochemical effects of polyethylene microplastic exposure in hydrothermal vent crab, Xenograpsus testudinatus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed hydrothermal vent crabs, which are adapted to extreme environments, to polyethylene microplastics and found that even these resilient animals suffered significant organ damage and oxidative stress. Higher microplastic concentrations caused severe damage to the liver-like organ and gills, and overwhelmed the crabs' antioxidant defenses. The finding that even organisms built to survive harsh conditions are vulnerable to microplastics underscores how pervasive the threat is to marine life.
Microplastic pollution significantly threatens marine ecosystems, including those with unique adaptations. This study evaluates the implications of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) on the hydrothermal vent crab, Xenograpsus testudinatus. Crabs were exposed to varying fluorescent green polyethylene microspheres (FGPE) concentrations for 7 days. Histological analysis revealed severe damage to the hepatopancreas and gills at higher FGPE concentrations. Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GR, GST, GPx, LPO) and gene expression (sod, cat) were assessed to evaluate oxidative stress responses. Results indicated significant upregulation of SOD and CAT activities at lower FGPE concentrations, suggesting an initial antioxidant response. However, GR and GST activities were inhibited at higher concentrations, and oxidative stress markers increased. These findings proved that PE-MPs induce molecular oxidative damage and lead to possible oxidative responses. Despite their resilience to extreme environments, HV crabs are vulnerable to pollutant-induced stressors, which pose ecological risks to species interactions and population dynamics within vent ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Tissue-specific bioaccumulation of microplastics in the shallow water hydrothermal vent crab Xenograpsus testudinatus
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found microplastics inside crabs living near underwater hot springs off Taiwan's coast—even in this extreme, hard-to-reach environment, plastic pollution from fishing gear and everyday consumer waste (like plastic bottles) is showing up in animal bodies, with the highest concentrations in their guts. This matters because these crabs are part of the ocean food web, and it shows that microplastics can infiltrate even remote ecosystems and accumulate in the digestive and filtering organs of seafood—a reminder that the plastic we use and discard doesn't just disappear, it ends up in the animals we may e
Do Waterborne Nanoplastics Affect the Shore Crab Carcinus maenas? A Case Study with Poly(methyl)methacrylate Particles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) to waterborne nanoplastics and assessed multiple physiological endpoints, finding that nanoplastic exposure altered immune function, oxidative stress markers, and gene expression in ways that indicate significant sublethal harm to this ecologically important species.
Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on amphipods
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed two amphipod species to environmentally relevant polyethylene microplastic concentrations and found increased mortality and oxidative stress, with species-specific sensitivity suggesting ecological impacts even at low exposure levels.
Slow and steady hurts the crab: Effects of chronic and acute microplastic exposures on a filter feeder crab
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that chronic low-concentration microplastic exposure over five months caused significant metabolic and nutritional damage to filter-feeding crabs, while acute high-concentration exposure showed no effects, highlighting the importance of long-term exposure studies.
Effects of micro‐ and nanoplastics on the physiology and metabolism of Portunus trituberculatus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and assessed physiological and metabolic responses across different tissues, finding that while lethal effects were minimal, MNPs triggered significant stress responses. Nanoplastics produced more severe effects than microplastics, with tissue-specific differences in enzyme reactions suggesting differential organ-level sensitivity to MNP contamination.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.