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Suspended micro-sized PVC particles impair the performance and decrease survival in the Asian green mussel Perna viridis
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Researchers exposed aquatic organisms to suspended micro-sized PVC particles and found impaired performance and reduced survival, demonstrating that PVC-specific microplastics cause measurable harm at concentrations approaching those found in some polluted environments.
Marine bivalves are known to ingest microplastics, but information on the consequences for their physiological performance is limited. To investigate a potential exposure pathway that has not yet been addressed, we mimicked the resuspension of microplastics from the sediment in a laboratory exposure experiment. For this, we exposed the Asian green mussel Perna viridis to 4 concentrations (0mg/l, 21.6mg/l, 216mg/l, 2160mg/l) of suspended polyvinylchloride (PVC) particles (1-50μm) for two 2-hour-time-periods per day. After 44days, mussel filtration and respiration rates as well as byssus production were found to be a negative function of particle concentration. Furthermore, within 91days of exposure, mussel survival declined with increasing PVC abundance. These negative effects presumably go back to prolonged periods of valve closure as a reaction to particle presence. We suggest that microplastics constitute a new seston component that exerts a stress comparable to natural suspended solids.
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A comparison with natural particles reveals a small specific effect of PVC microplastics on mussel performance
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Effects of PVC microplastics on marine animals were compared to effects of natural particles at equivalent concentrations, to distinguish plastic-specific effects from generic particle effects. The comparison revealed a small specific effect of PVC microplastics beyond what natural particle exposure causes, suggesting that many microplastic impacts may be partly attributable to physical particle load rather than plastic chemistry alone.
Effects of microplastics contamination on marine biota
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Researchers exposed mussels to PVC microplastics under different conditions, finding that short-term exposure caused physiological stress influenced by plastic additives and concentration, while long-term exposure allowed some adaptation. Microplastics were transferred along the food chain to predators but were not absorbed into tissues, suggesting physical passage rather than bioaccumulation.
Biomonitoring microplastic pollution and polymer hazards using the Asian green mussel (Perna viridis): a baseline assessment from Santubong River, Sarawak, Malaysia.
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Green mussels from a river in Sarawak, Malaysia, all contained microplastics, mostly tiny fibers and fragments made of nylon, polypropylene and polystyrene. Mussels with more microplastics tended to have lower soft tissue weight, and the detected plastics were classified as high hazard based on their chemical makeup.
EFFECT OF MICROPLASTIC ON GREEN MUSSEL Perna viridis: EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
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Researchers experimentally exposed green mussels (Perna viridis) to microplastics under controlled laboratory conditions and observed effects on feeding activity, tissue accumulation, and physiological stress responses. The study provides empirical evidence that microplastic ingestion causes measurable biological harm in this commercially harvested bivalve species.
Occurrence and human health risks of microplastics in the Bay of Bengal using Perna viridis as sentinel species
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Researchers found microplastics in water, sediment, and green mussel tissues at every site tested across five locations in the Bay of Bengal. The mussels showed tissue damage including inflammation and cell death linked to microplastic accumulation, with the digestive gland carrying the highest burden. Since these mussels are consumed by local communities, the findings raise direct concerns about human microplastic exposure through seafood.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.