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Plastic Debris in the Stomach of the Invasive Signal Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus from a Baltic Coastal River
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Researchers examined the stomach contents of invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) for plastic debris, finding ingested plastic fragments and fibres in a proportion of sampled individuals. The study identifies signal crayfish as accumulators of microplastics in freshwater food webs, with potential implications for predators that consume crayfish in affected river systems.
The signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus is one of the most widespread non-indigenous crayfish in Europe and is of interest to aquaculture in many countries. Once they escape into the wild, they disperse and become a potential source of food exploited for consumption by local inhabitants. The ingestion of plastics by the invasive signal crayfish in the Wieprza River, a tributary to the Baltic Sea, was determined by the FTIR identification of plastic compounds found in stomachs. The occurrence of plastic debris in the stomachs of P. leniusculus is reported for the first time. Plastic particles with the size range between 70 and 450 µm were observed only among crayfish inhabiting the lower, urbanized part of the river (7.3% of specimens). The presence of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), cellophane, PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), and nylon was confirmed with the highest frequency of PTFE in the stomachs of crayfish. Fibres were the predominant type of microplastics in crayfish stomachs. The results indicated the size-selective uptake and ingestion of plastics depending on the traits of the species and environment.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic burden in invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) increases along a stream urbanization gradient
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Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of invasive signal crayfish at every site along a stream gradient from rural to urban, with concentrations rising as more of the upstream area was developed — and detected microplastics in crayfish tail muscle tissue for the first time. Because crayfish are important prey for many species, their accumulation of microplastics in both gut and tissue suggests these pollutants can move through freshwater food chains more broadly than previously recognized.
From Core to Front: Microplastic Loads Along a Signal Crayfish ( Pacifastacus leniusculus ) Invasion Gradient
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Even remote, protected mountain rivers in Portugal aren't safe from plastic pollution—researchers found microplastics (mostly tiny fibers from things like plastic bottles and packaging) in the guts of invasive crayfish, with the highest amounts at the invasion's leading edge. This matters because it shows plastic contamination is working its way into wildlife even in pristine-seeming environments, and since these crayfish are eaten by other animals (and sometimes humans), the plastic particles they ingest could move up the food chain.
Dynamic Accumulation and Bio-Mediated Fragmentation of Microplastics in the Digestive System of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
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Researchers used red swamp crayfish as a model organism to study how microplastics accumulate, distribute, fragment, and are excreted within the digestive system under controlled conditions. MPs accumulated primarily in the hepatopancreas and stomach, with biologically mediated fragmentation into smaller particles occurring during digestion.
The invasive red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) as a bioindicator of microplastic pollution: Insights from Lake Candia (northwestern Italy)
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Researchers investigated whether the invasive red swamp crayfish could serve as a bioindicator species for tracking microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. They found the same types of microplastics in the crayfish digestive tracts as in surrounding water and sediment samples from Lake Candia in Italy. The study suggests that monitoring microplastics in crayfish could be a practical way to assess plastic contamination levels in lakes and rivers.
Microplastic Presence and Frequency in Crayfish within Urban and Rural Streams
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Researchers compared the presence and frequency of microplastics found in crayfish living in urban versus rural streams, aiming to understand how human development influences microplastic ingestion in freshwater animals. Crayfish serve as useful environmental indicators because they feed at the bottom of streams where microplastics tend to settle.
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