Effects of Combined Exposure to Temperature, Salinity, and Microplastic Fibres on Biological Endpoints in the American Lobster (Homarus americanus)

Physiological impacts of microplastics on the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas: The role of particle size and concentration

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Laboratory experiments on Pacific oysters exposed to microplastics of varying sizes and concentrations found decreased survival rates, increased oxygen consumption, and histological damage to digestive and gill tissues, with effects scaling with concentration. Oysters are global seafood staples and efficient bioaccumulators, meaning physiological damage at environmentally relevant concentrations translates directly into concerns about both aquatic ecosystem health and the safety of oysters in the human diet.

Impact of Microplastics on the Physiology of Benthos

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Researchers reviewed how microplastic pollution harms bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms, summarizing evidence that benthic species face widespread physiological disruption from microplastic ingestion and accumulation, with broader implications for aquatic biodiversity.

Effects of combined exposure to temperature, salinity, and microplastic fibres on biological endpoints in the American lobster (Homarus americanus).

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Baby lobsters struggle to survive when ocean water gets too warm, especially when combined with lower salt levels, warmer water raised their heart rates and increased deaths, mimicking effects we might expect from climate change. Interestingly, microplastic fibers alone didn't significantly harm the lobster larvae's survival, even though the tiny plastic bits were found lodged in their shells and stomachs. This matters because lobsters are a major seafood source, and understanding how warming oceans (more than plastic pollution, at least in this study) threaten their early survival can help predict impacts on seafood supplies as our climate changes.

Disruption of energy metabolism in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) by co-exposure to aged microplastics and pathogenic Vibrio spp

The combined effect of temperature and microplastics on Daphnia pulex Leydig, 1860 (Cladocera)

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Scientists found that tiny water fleas (a key food source for fish) ate significant amounts of microplastic beads, which slowed their heart rates and cut their feeding by more than half, effects that got worse in warmer water. While this study focused on aquatic life rather than humans directly, it matters because these small creatures sit at the bottom of the food chain, so microplastic pollution combined with rising water temperatures could ripple upward and affect the fish and ecosystems that eventually end up on our plates.