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The different ways microplastics from the water column and sediment accumulate in fish in Haizhou Bay
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This study compared how microplastics from the water column versus sediment accumulate in marine mussels, finding that sediment-derived MPs were retained at higher rates in mussel tissues than water column MPs. The pathway of microplastic exposure significantly affected the quantity and types of particles that accumulated in the animals.
Global microplastic (MP) pollution is a serious environmental problem that has been found in various ecosystems, especially marine ecosystems. In this study, the water (surface, middle and bottom water), sediment and fish (pelagic, demersal and benthic fish) in the artificial reef area and adjacent waters in Haizhou Bay were collected, and the mechanism of MP transmission among the three media was analyzed. The results showed that >96 % of the plastics in the region were MPs. The shape of MPs was mainly fibrous (water (73.3 %), sediment (56 %), fish (95.3 %)), color was mainly blue (water (49.3 %), sediment (47 %), fish (72.3 %)), and the material was mainly PET (water (39.6 %), sediment (33 %), fish (86.6 %)). We found that, except for the natural deposition of MPs, MPs could be ingested by pelagic fish and transmitted through vertical movement in the water, while there was an interaction between MPs in benthic fishes and the middle-bottom waters. In addition, as relevant variables, body length and body weight were more likely to explain the number of MPs ingested by fishes than were δC and δN. Therefore, based on the linear relationship between δN and body length, we concluded that there was a weak trophic magnification effect of MPs ingested by fish in this region. This study provides unique information for further exploring the factors influencing the spatial distribution of MPs and the transmission mechanism of MPs in fish.
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Sediment matters as a route of microplastic exposure: A call for more research on the benthic compartment
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Researchers conducted a systematic review highlighting that most microplastic studies focus on pelagic species in water-only exposures, despite evidence that sediment acts as a major sink for marine microplastics. The study calls for more research on sediment as an important exposure pathway for benthic invertebrates, recommending ecologically relevant concentrations and durations in future experiments.
Assessing the relationship between the abundance and properties of microplastics in water and in mussels
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Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic levels in coastal waters and in mussels at 25 sites along China's coastline. They found a strong positive correlation, meaning that mussels in more polluted waters contained more microplastics, and that mussels preferentially ingested smaller particles. The study supports the use of mussels as biological indicators for monitoring microplastic contamination in marine environments.
Contamination, Uptake and Elimination of Microplastics in Freshwater Mussels
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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.
Characteristics of microplastics in different media in Jiaozhou Bay, China
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Researchers characterized microplastics in water, sediment, and biological samples from Jiaozhou Bay in China, finding plastics across all environmental compartments. The study documents spatial variation in contamination and highlights the bay as a site of significant plastic accumulation linked to nearby urban and industrial activity.
Adherence of microplastics to soft tissue of mussels: A novel way to uptake microplastics beyond ingestion
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Researchers discovered that mussels can take up microplastics not only by swallowing them but also through direct adherence to soft tissues like the foot and mantle. Field investigations found microplastics in multiple mussel organs, with the intestine containing the highest concentration by weight. The study proposes adherence as a previously unrecognized pathway for microplastic uptake in marine organisms, which could mean current exposure estimates are incomplete.
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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.