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Effects of Different Polystyrene Concentrations on the Bioaccumulation of As, Cd, and Pb in Ruditapes Philippinarum
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Researchers tested how polystyrene microplastics at different concentrations affect the accumulation of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum), finding that higher microplastic concentrations generally increased heavy metal bioaccumulation over time. The study suggests that microplastics can act as vectors that enhance heavy metal uptake in commercially harvested shellfish.
Abstract Microplastics constitute a new type of environmental pollutant with a particle size of less than 5 mm that can combine with heavy metals to enter organisms such as clams, and the impact of the combination of microplastics and heavy metals on the marine organism Ruditapes philippinarum remains unclear. Therefore, this problem is analyzed the effects of different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 5, and 10% w/w ) of polystyrene (PS) and three heavy metals (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)) (20 and 200 µg/L) on the bioaccumulation of the heavy metals in clams, and the effects of time for PS (0, 1, and 5%)-bound As, Cd, and Pb (ACP). We found that different concentrations of PS exerted different effects on the absorption of heavy metals by clams. A low concentration of PS (0.1%, 1%) inhibited heavy-metal bioaccumulation, while a high concentration of PS (5%, 10%) promoted their accumulation. Whether or not PS was added, the concentration of As, Cd, and Pb in clams increased with time. The relative amount bioaccumulated in clams was As > Cd > Pb, and we demonstrated a correlation between the concentration of heavy metals in clams and the concentration of PS in seawater. When exposed to a low concentration of PS, the concentrations of As and Cd in clams diminished with the concentration of PS in sea water; and when exposed to high concentrations of PS, the concentrations of Cd and Pb in clams appeared also to be reduced with increasing PS concentrations.
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Researchers exposed Manila clams to various microplastic polymer types, shapes, and concentrations, finding that clams preferentially ingested sphere-shaped particles due to their resemblance to microalgae, and that feeding rates declined as microplastic concentrations increased. The addition of benzo[a]pyrene as a co-stressor showed that microplastics can act as vectors for transporting hydrophobic contaminants into bivalve tissues.
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Researchers exposed land snails to soil contaminated with both polystyrene microplastics and toxic metals including arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. They found that while microplastics had limited effects on overall metal availability in soil, they did alter the speed and pattern of metal uptake into snail tissues. The study suggests that microplastics may subtly change how organisms absorb environmental contaminants, even when they do not dramatically change the total amount available.
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Researchers found that Manila clams ingesting polystyrene microplastics accumulated particles in their gills, digestive glands, and intestines, leading to increased respiration and excretion rates while reducing feeding efficiency. Modeling predicted that long-term exposure would significantly reduce shell and flesh growth rates as well as reproductive potential. The study provides evidence that microplastics can fundamentally alter energy allocation and physiological processes in filter-feeding bivalves.
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