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Exposure to microplastics contaminated with pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Histological effects on Ucides cordatus
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Crabs (Ucides cordatus) exposed to microplastics contaminated with triclosan or 17α-ethinylestradiol showed histological gill changes more severe than those from virgin microplastics alone, demonstrating that pharmaceutical and personal care product contaminants adsorbed on MPs increase tissue-level toxicity.
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are known to interact with microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments, with substances such as the antimicrobial triclosan (TCS) and the synthetic hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) being prevalent. These persistent contaminants are linked to toxic effects in aquatic organisms. This study aimed to investigate histological and morphometric changes in the gills of Ucides cordatus exposed to microplastics alone and microplastics contaminated with PPCPs. The experimental design included four treatment groups: 1) control (C), 2) virgin microplastics (MP), 3) microplastics fortified with triclosan (MPT), and 4) microplastics fortified with 17α-ethinylestradiol (MPE), with exposure durations of 3 or 7 days. Significant differences were observed in the histopathological indices for treatments with PPCP-fortified microplastics at 3 days (MPT and MPE) and 7 days (MPT). Notable pathologies included necrosis, fibrosis, and circulatory disorders. Exposure duration was significantly associated with morphometric changes, including secondary lamellar width in MPT and secondary lamellar length in MPE. These findings indicate that exposure to microplastics contaminated with PPCPs may impair the osmoregulatory and respiratory functions of Ucides cordatus.
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Researchers examined combined effects of polyethylene microplastics spiked with triclosan on the swamp ghost crab, finding that the microplastic-triclosan combination caused greater oxidative stress and tissue damage in gills and hepatopancreas than either pollutant alone.
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Non-destructive biomarkers in crabs were evaluated to assess the combined effects of microplastics with pharmaceuticals and personal care products, finding measurable biological responses to co-exposure that could be detected without sacrificing the animals. The study demonstrates the utility of non-lethal sampling approaches for monitoring microplastic mixture toxicity in marine invertebrates.
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Researchers exposed clams to low-density polyethylene microplastics that had been pre-contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and measured ecotoxicological effects including oxidative stress and genotoxicity. The study found that microplastics carrying adsorbed chemical contaminants caused greater biological damage than clean microplastics alone, suggesting that the pollutant-carrier role of microplastics amplifies their environmental impact on bivalves.
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This review summarizes ecotoxicological studies on microplastics and their adsorbed contaminants in microalgae, crustaceans, mollusks, and fish. Across all tested organisms, microplastics caused growth inhibition, reduced reproduction, and physiological stress — particularly when carrying additional chemical contaminants.
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Tiny plastic fibers, smaller than a grain of rice, turned out to be more harmful to mud crabs than larger plastic fibers, causing more deaths, damage to their gills, and buildup in their bodies. Since these crabs are part of the food chain that ends up on our plates, this research suggests that smaller microplastic fibers in our oceans could pose a bigger risk to seafood safety than previously thought.
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