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Micro and Nanoplastic Contamination and Its Effects on Freshwater Mussels Caged in an Urban Area
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Researchers placed freshwater mussels at various sites around Montreal to measure microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in urban waterways. They found that mussels at rainfall overflow sites and downstream of the city center accumulated the most plastic particles, with nanoplastics correlating strongly with oxidative damage markers in tissue. The study suggests that tire wear and road erosion from stormwater runoff are important sources of plastic contamination for aquatic organisms.
Plastic-based contamination has become a major cause of concern as it pervades many environments such as air, water, sediments, and soils. This study sought to examine the presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in freshwater mussels placed at rainfall/street runoff overflows, downstream (15 km) of the city centre of Montréal, and 8 km downstream of a municipal effluent dispersion plume. MPs and NPs were determined using flow cytometry and size exclusion chromatography using fluorescence detection. Following 3 months of exposure during the summer season, mussels contained elevated amounts of both MPs and NPs. The rainfall overflow and downstream of the city centre were the most contaminated sites. Lipid peroxidation, metallothioneins, and protein aggregates (amyloids) were significantly increased at the most contaminated sites and were significantly correlated with NPs in tissues. Based on the levels of MPs and NPs in mussels exposed to municipal effluent, wastewater treatment plants appear to mitigate plastic contamination albeit not completely. In conclusion, the data support the hypothesis that mussels placed in urbanized areas are more contaminated by plastics, which are associated with oxidative damage. The highest responses observed at the overflow site suggest that tire wear and/or asphalt (road) erosion MPs/NPs represent important sources of contamination for the aquatic biota.
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Urban Nanoplastic Contamination Profiles And Ecotoxicity In Experimentally Caged Freshwater Mussels Elliptio complanata
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) building up in freshwater mussels living near a big city's stormwater overflow sites, and these mussels showed signs of stress, including DNA damage and disrupted brain-signaling chemicals. This matters because mussels filter water similarly to how our own bodies process contaminants, and their reaction suggests that nanoplastics pouring into waterways during storms could pose real risks to aquatic life and, potentially, anything downstream that relies on that water, including us.
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Researchers developed simple, low-cost tests to detect nanoplastics in freshwater mussels using a gold nanoparticle sensor, and found that nanoplastics reduced protein stability markers in mussel tissue. Mussels caged at sites downstream of urban runoff had the highest nanoplastic loads, demonstrating that accessible biological assays can track real-world contamination and its biochemical effects in aquatic wildlife.
Investigation of Microplastics in Freshwater Mussels (Lasmigona costata) From the Grand River Watershed in Ontario, Canada
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Researchers sampled fluted-shell mussels (Lasmigona costata) across the Grand River watershed in Ontario. Microplastics were found in 71% of mussels, with ten polymer types identified and no more than seven particles in any one animal. Counts rose with the size of the upstream catchment but not with urban land use.
Microplastics in a freshwater mussel (Anodonta anatina) in Northern Europe
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Researchers confirmed microplastic occurrence in the freshwater duck mussel Anodonta anatina in a Swedish river, finding microplastics in all mussels examined with higher concentrations downstream of urban wastewater treatment plants compared to a rural upstream location.
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This study examined the contamination, uptake, and elimination of microplastics in freshwater mussels, extending findings from marine systems to freshwater filter feeders. The research provides baseline data on how microplastics accumulate in freshwater bivalves, which are important bioindicators and food sources.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.