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Can Microplastics Influence the Accumulation of Pb in Tissues of Blue Crab?
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This study assessed whether microplastics influence lead (Pb) accumulation in the tissues of blue crab, finding that microplastic co-exposure altered Pb uptake in some tissues, suggesting a potential vector effect that warrants further investigation.
The study of microplastics (MPs) and associated pollutants is essential for a better understanding of some of the factors that threaten marine ecosystems. The main objective of this study was thus to assess Pb distribution and accumulation in the tissues of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) exposed to MPs. Blue crabs were collected from the mouth of the river Segura (Guardamar, Spain) and fed on mussels from two Mediterranean areas with different levels of Pb contamination: Portmán Bay and San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia, Spain). In addition, a batch of each group were exposed to MPs. After seven days of exposure, the crabs were euthanised, and tissues and faeces were analysed. The hepatopancreas was found to be the best tissue for measuring Pb concentrations after feeding; muscle tissue did not provide information on environmental quality. The meat (muscle) consumption of blue crabs from zones with high Pb content does not seem to constitute a risk for consumers, although the risk is not totally negated if all soft tissues are ingested. The presence of MPs in the water does not seem to increase the accumulation of Pb in these tissues of C. sapidus.
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Researchers exposed blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) to virgin and oxidised microplastics for 118 days and found no significant effect on cadmium accumulation in haemolymph or tissues including hepatopancreas, gills, and muscles. However, oxidised microplastics showed a positive correlation between cadmium concentrations in hepatopancreas and muscle tissue, raising potential food safety concerns.
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Freshwater shrimp exposed to polyethylene microplastics combined with lead showed significantly worse toxic effects than when exposed to either pollutant alone, with microplastics increasing how much lead accumulated in the shrimp's tissues. This demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic food chains, potentially increasing human exposure to dangerous metals through seafood.
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