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Beyond carrier effects: Polyamide microplastics and TCPP jointly drive physiological toxicity in mussels at environmental concentrations
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Researchers exposed thick-shelled mussels to polyamide microplastics combined with the flame retardant TCPP at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that the combined stress caused physiological toxicity through an adsorption effect rather than a simple carrier effect, with potentially irreversible damage to digestive glands. The study also showed that the internal bacterial diversity of exposed mussels was altered, indicating broader ecological consequences of microplastic-chemical co-exposure in marine environments.
Marine microplastic pollution is a global problem that has received widespread attention, making the risk assessment of marine microplastics a crucial topic of concern. However, unscientific assessment methods have been widely used in the past, highlighting the necessity to recalibrate the judgment of the ecological risks posed by marine microplastics. In this study, we conducted exposure experiments on the filter-feeding shellfish, thick-shelled mussels (Mytilus coruscus), using ambient concentrations of marine microplastic PA debris compounded with the common organophosphorus flame retardants pollutant, Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP). The results of our experiments showed that the combined stress of TCPP and PA exhibited an adsorption effect on the physiological toxicity on thick-shell mussel at environmental concentrations rather than a carrier effect, and there was no significant difference in the toxic effects between the current environmental concentration and a predicted environmental concentration in 2050. However, microplastics and TCPP appeared to exert irreversible effects on the digestive glands of mussels, compared to their effects on the gill tissues. The diversity of bacterial populations in the mussels' internal environment was affected, indicating potential ecological consequences.
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Researchers studied how a flame retardant chemical (TCPP) interacts with biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics in mussels. The combination of the flame retardant and PLA microplastics caused more oxidative stress, immune disruption, and metabolic changes than either pollutant alone. This finding is important because biodegradable plastics are often assumed to be safer, but they can still carry harmful chemical additives that increase their toxicity to marine life and, by extension, to people who eat seafood.
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Marine mussels (Mytilus coruscus) co-exposed to polystyrene microplastics and the flame retardant BDE-47 for 21 days showed greater immune suppression, oxidative stress, and energy depletion than with either pollutant alone, consistent with microplastics acting as a carrier that amplifies BDE-47 toxicity.
Combined ecotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate increase exposure risks to Mytilus coruscus based on the bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, metabolic profiles, and nutritional interferences
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Researchers exposed hard-shelled mussels to a common plastic additive (DEHP) and polystyrene microplastics together, and found that the microplastics increased how much DEHP accumulated in the animals' digestive organs. The combined exposure disrupted the mussels' antioxidant defenses and altered their metabolic processes more than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of chemical pollutants in marine organisms.
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Researchers exposed mussels to nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused greater biochemical stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics appeared to carry the antibiotic into mussel tissues, increasing its bioavailability and impact on gut microbiota. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can amplify the toxicity of other contaminants in marine organisms.
Immunotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons and microplastics alone or in combination to a bivalve species: Synergic impacts and potential toxication mechanisms
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Marine mussels exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons and microplastics separately and together showed that combined exposure caused greater immune suppression and lysosomal damage than either stressor alone, identifying oxidative stress pathways as a key mechanism of joint toxicity.
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