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A baseline study of microplastics in the burrowing crab (Neohelice granulata) from a temperate southwestern Atlantic estuary
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Researchers conducted a baseline study of microplastic contamination in the burrowing crab Neohelice granulata and water samples from the Bahia Blanca Estuary in Argentina, finding microplastics in all specimens and water column samples, predominantly blue fibers under 1500 micrometres. Gills contained higher microplastic abundances than digestive tracts, suggesting adherence to gill surfaces as the primary uptake route for this key estuarine species.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that microplastics (MPs) are available for a wide range of marine organisms, with filter-feeding bivalves and crabs being especially vulnerable. The crab Neohelice granulata is considered a key and structuring species in the Bahía Blanca Estuary (BBE) (SW Atlantic) and its ecological role makes this species especially vulnerable to several pollutants. In this study, male specimens of N. granulata and water samples were collected at three sites in the BBE for the presence of MPs. Different types of MPs were found in all the crabs and the water column samples, although the most frequent were fibers <500-1500 μm, mainly blue. This is the first study to identify MPs in the gills and digestive tract of N. granulata. Moreover, gills presented higher total abundances of MPs than the digestive tract, which suggests that in this case the main uptake of MPs would be by adherence to the gills.
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Abundance of microplastics in oysters Crassostrea gigas and water from a highly anthropized estuary.
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and whole tissue of Crassostrea gigas oysters at two sites in the Bahia Blanca estuary, a highly anthropized system in Argentina with major port, petrochemical, and urban wastewater inputs. MPs ranged from 6 to 50 items/L in water and 0 to 2 items/g wet weight in oyster tissue, with transparent and blue fibers predominating in both matrices.
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Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in sediment, water, and tissues (gills, muscle, hepatopancreas, and digestive tract) of three sympatric mangrove crab species with different ecological habits in the highly impacted Baixada Santista estuary, Brazil. The study found microplastic accumulation across all sampled matrices and examined physiological effects in Goniopsis cruentata, Aratus pisonii, and Minuca rapax, demonstrating how feeding behavior and habitat use influence microplastic body burden in crustaceans.
Macroecotoxicological approaches to emerging patterns of microplastic bioaccumulation in crabs from estuarine and marine environments
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Smaller, shorter-lived crabs and those from estuarine intertidal/muddy habitats accumulated significantly more microplastics, with burrowing species holding more particles than omnivorous ones. Crabs at lower latitudes -- likely due to mangrove trapping effects -- and non-human-consumed species showed higher microplastic loads, with colorless PA, PP, and PET fibers (1-5 mm) predominating.
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Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in two commercially important estuarine crab species in the Gulf of Mexico varied significantly based on ecological traits such as feeding behavior and habitat use, with gills and digestive tracts showing higher contamination than muscle tissue.
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