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Dietary Pectin Supplementation as a Potential Strategy to Mitigate the Toxic Effects of Microplastics and Cadmium in Freshwater Crayfish ( Astacus leptodactylus )
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Researchers investigated whether dietary pectin supplementation could mitigate the toxic effects of microplastics and cadmium exposure in freshwater crayfish. Pectin partially restored some antioxidant enzyme activities and normalized certain biochemical markers disrupted by the pollutant exposure. However, because the crayfish were directly exposed to the contaminants in water, oral pectin supplementation had limited protective effects on several key health parameters, suggesting that dietary interventions alone may not fully counteract environmental pollutant exposure.
This study investigated the effects of cadmium (Cd), microplastics (MPs), and pectin (Pec) supplementation on biochemical, oxidative, and immunological parameters in crayfish ( Astacus leptodactylus ). Four hundred fifty crayfish were acclimatized under controlled laboratory conditions and distributed into 15 experimental groups using a definitive screening design (DSD) approach. The groups were exposed to varying combinations of Cd (0, 20, and 40 µg/L), MP (0, 50, and 100 mg/L), and Pec‐supplemented diets (0%, 0.25%, and 0.5% per kg feed) for 45 days. The findings showed that Pec supplementation increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) peroxidase (GPx) activities but did not affect catalase (CAT) activity. Cd and MPs reduced SOD, CAT, and GPx activities, with Pec partially restoring CAT activity. Exposure to Cd and MPs elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine, and glucose levels, while gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase, lysozyme, total protein, and albumin decreased. Pec normalized triglyceride and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity but showed limited protective effects on GPx, cholesterol, creatinine, and glucose regulation. The results indicated that because crayfish were directly exposed to MPs and Cd, oral administration of the Pec supplement failed to restore some biochemical parameters to normal levels. These findings indicate Pec’s selective efficacy in mitigating Cd‐ and MP‐induced stress in crayfish.
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Researchers exposed crayfish to microplastics and zinc oxide nanoparticles, both alone and combined, and found that the combination caused greater harm than either pollutant on its own, including increased liver stress markers and reduced antioxidant defenses. These findings suggest that microplastics may make other common environmental pollutants more toxic when they occur together in waterways that supply food and drinking water.
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Crayfish exposed to both microplastics and the pesticide cypermethrin for 60 days showed significant biochemical stress including reduced antioxidant defenses, altered blood chemistry, and liver tissue damage. The combination of these two common environmental contaminants appeared to be more harmful than either alone. This matters because aquatic organisms are often exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously, and the combined effects could affect the safety of freshwater species consumed by humans.
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Researchers investigated the combined effects of microplastics and the pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila on freshwater crayfish over 30 days. The study found that co-exposure to microplastics and the pathogen caused more severe disruptions to blood biochemistry, liver oxidative balance, and immune function than either stressor alone, suggesting microplastics can amplify pathogen-related damage.
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