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Toxicity assessment of microplastics within the Loire River in the clam Corbicula fluminea exposed to environmentally relevant exposure conditions
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Researchers exposed freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea) from the Loire River to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics for 21 days to assess toxicity effects. The study highlights the need for more research on microplastic impacts on freshwater species, as most existing work has focused on the marine environment.
The dispersed pollution caused by microplastics (MPs) represents a current and global concern. While the fragmentation of plastic debris into smaller particles occurs in rivers, little MP research is done on freshwater species and is published compared to the marine environment. The Loire River is the longest river in France and is subject to moderate to high anthropic pressure while it represents major societal and economic issues. However, there are not many studies that have been put forward with regards to the effect of environmental MPs (EMPs) on aquatic organisms and no policies have been enacted to monitor the plastic pollution. In this study, freshwater bivalves, Corbicula fluminea, were exposed for 21 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of a mixture of <200 µm MPs generated from plastic litter collected directly along the banks of the Loire River. This mixture was composed of 40% polyethylene (PE), 40% polypropylene (PP), 10% polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 10% polyvinylchloride (PVC) (mass percentage). Ecotoxicological effects were assessed from the individual to the molecular levels on several endpoints: condition index, filtration efficiency, enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation, energy reserves and gene expression. The ingestion of EMPs caused damages at the biochemical level. Indeed, we reported an increase in catalase activity in gills and digestive mass, a decrease in TBARs in gills, a decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity in the digestive mass, a decrease of glycogen and lipid contents in the whole organisms and a significant induction of the expression of gst, cat, mp, acp genes. The current results suggest therefore that long-term exposure to realistic doses of EMPs causes toxicity towards freshwater benthic biota. The analysis of biomarker activities and the analysis of gene expression are complementary to prevent the effects of a plastic contamination at higher biological levels in aquatic organisms.
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Microplastics in freshwater biotic and abiotic matrices sampled in the Loire River (France) and their ecotoxicology effects on Corbicula fluminea
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the Loire River using a combined field and laboratory approach, characterizing MPs in sediment, polychaetes, and bivalves while exposing Corbicula fluminea to field-derived MPs at four concentrations over 21 days. Although condition index and filtration capacity were unaffected, biochemical biomarkers of immune response showed significant alterations, demonstrating sublethal ecotoxicological effects at environmentally relevant concentrations.
Microplastics in freshwater biotic and abiotic matrices sampled in the Loire River (France) and their ecotoxicology effects on Corbicula fluminea
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Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in sediment and biotic matrices along the Loire River and exposed the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea to field-derived microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for 21 days, finding that while condition index and filtration capacity were unaffected, immune-related biochemical biomarkers (CAT, GST, AChE, MDA) showed significant responses.
Using bivalves to assess the risks of microplastics and associated pollutants: the case of the Loire River, France
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Scientists studied mussels and clams living in France's Loire River to see how much microplastic pollution they're absorbing from the water. Since these bivalves are often eaten by people, finding microplastics (and the chemicals that stick to them) inside these creatures suggests we could be consuming these tiny plastic particles too when we eat shellfish from polluted waters. This research helps identify which rivers and seafood sources might carry higher risks, so scientists can better track how microplastics move from our environment into our food.
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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.