Accumulation of microplastics in the pedal mucus of marine periwinkles

A Quantitative Analysis of Microplastic Ingestion in Northern New York Bivalves

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Researchers quantified microplastic ingestion in bivalves collected from northern New York waterways, measuring particle counts and types across multiple species. Bivalves are filter feeders that bioaccumulate microplastics directly from their environment, making them both sentinels of freshwater contamination and a dietary exposure route for humans who consume shellfish.

Microplastics in Terrestrial Snails

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Land snails collected from forested and grassy sites in Oak Ridge, Tennessee were found to consistently contain 2–5 microplastic particles per individual across 400 specimens and 16 species, demonstrating widespread microplastic uptake in terrestrial gastropods. This research highlights that microplastic contamination extends into relatively undisturbed terrestrial habitats and accumulates in organisms with no direct aquatic exposure, suggesting airborne or soil-based uptake routes.

The Impact of Microplastics on Marine Copepods

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Marine copepods, a foundational link in ocean food webs, ingest microplastics alongside natural prey, causing reduced feeding, reproductive impairment, and energy depletion that can cascade up through fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Because copepods transfer energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels, their contamination with microplastics poses systemic risks to entire marine food chains.

Effects of Microplastic Ingestion on Manila Clams

The Effects of Microplastic Pollution on Marine Organisms and its Impact on Human Health: A Review

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Researchers reviewed how microplastics affect major marine taxa — from plankton to marine mammals — documenting impacts including reduced growth and reproduction, behavioral disruption, and inflammatory responses, while also assessing pathways through which MP-contaminated seafood and drinking water translate ocean pollution into risks for human health.