We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Dynamic fate of polystyrene microplastics in terrestrial snails through dietary exposure: accumulation, excretion, and molecular impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
Polystyrene microplastics fed to edible snails (Achatina fulica) accumulated primarily in the digestive gland, with smaller 2 µm particles causing greater oxidative damage — a 177% surge in lipid peroxidation — and more disruption to gut microbiota than 20 µm particles. Because these snails are consumed as food in many regions, the study highlights a direct pathway for microplastics and associated toxicity to transfer up the food chain to humans.
Microplastic (MPs) pollution poses significant environmental and health risks due to its widespread presence and persistence in ecosystems. Despite growing concerns, there is a lack of comprehensive studies investigating the mechanistic cascade governing the dynamic accumulation and toxicological fate of MPs in terrestrial organisms, especially in mollusks. Here, the dietary transfer of polystyrene (PS) MPs to edible snails (Achatina fulica) was investigated to explore effects of particle size and exposure concentration of MPs on the bioaccumulation, tissue distribution, clearance and the subsequent disruption of the host-microbiota axis. Our findings indicate that internal MPs load is primarily driven by exposure concentration, although particle size influences retention efficiency. Smaller MPs (2 μm) reached higher accumulation levels than 20 μm MPs, particularly at high concentrations where the gap reached 91.34%, with all detected particles localized exclusively within the digestive gland. Exposure to 2 μm PS MPs triggered a size dependent toxicological cascade, characterized by a 177.48% surge in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and a significant collapse of the enzymatic antioxidant barrier, specifically the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Additionally, the molecular indicators of intestinal damage were more pronounced in these snails than in those exposed to 20 μm MPs. MPs exposure increased the complexity and connectivity of microbial co-occurrence networks, primarily driven by the expansion of Proteobacteria. Transcriptomics further showed that MPs exposure disrupted cell membrane integrity and activated immune defense and apoptotic pathways, ultimately leading to a critical imbalance in host immune-metabolic homeostasis. Our findings highlight that MP toxicity is a dynamic process driven by the size-retention-transformation axis, providing new insights into the fate and integrated biological risks of dietary MPs in terrestrial herbivores.
More Papers Like This
Biodegradation and disintegration of expanded polystyrene by land snails Achatina fulica
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that the land snail Achatina fulica can ingest expanded polystyrene foam and break it down, with each snail consuming about 18.5 mg over four weeks and achieving a 30.7% mass reduction in egested particles. Chemical analysis confirmed partial biodegradation with the formation of oxidized intermediate compounds, and the snails' gut microbiome shifted significantly after polystyrene ingestion. The study suggests that soil invertebrates like land snails may play a meaningful role in the environmental fate and partial breakdown of polystyrene plastic pollution.
Adaptive gut microbiota dysbiosis coupled with altered fatty acid metabolism in apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata): A potential strategy against polystyrene microplastic stress
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed apple snails to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found that higher concentrations reduced food intake and weight gain while causing oxidative stress in intestinal tissues. The microplastics also significantly altered the snails' gut microbiome composition and disrupted fatty acid metabolism. The study suggests that freshwater snails may adapt to microplastic stress through changes in their gut bacteria and metabolic pathways, though at a cost to their overall health.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induced oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in the digestive tissues of a freshwater pulmonate snail, Indoplanorbis exustus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied the oxidative stress response caused by polystyrene nanoplastics in the digestive tissues of the freshwater snail Indoplanorbis exustus. The study found that nanoplastic exposure elevated reactive oxygen species levels in a time-dependent manner, initially triggering protective antioxidant enzyme responses, but prolonged exposure depleted these defenses and exacerbated oxidative damage to digestive tissues.
Size-dependent toxicological effects of polystyrene microplastics in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei using a histomorphology, microbiome, and metabolic approach
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed white leg shrimp to polystyrene microplastics of four different sizes and found that toxicity was strongly size-dependent, with smaller particles causing greater tissue damage to guts and gills. Smaller microplastics were also more readily ingested and bioavailable to the shrimp. However, larger particles triggered different responses in gut microbiome diversity and metabolic pathways, indicating that microplastic size influences the type and severity of biological effects.
Ingestion and digestion by the freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata drive microplastic surface transformations and virus-mediated plastisphere functional shifts
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed freshwater apple snails to polystyrene and expanded polystyrene microplastics, finding that snail digestion deformed EPS particles and induced surface oxidation of both plastic types, while also altering plastisphere virus and bacterial communities and affecting antibiotic resistance patterns.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.