Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Metabolic equilibrium and reproductive resilience: Freshwater gastropods under nanoplastics exposure

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to nanoplastics of two different sizes and found concentration-dependent effects on body condition and bioaccumulation, with larger particles accumulating more in tissues. While carbohydrate and protein reserves remained largely stable, lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function were affected at certain exposures. Despite these metabolic shifts, the snails maintained overall energy balance, suggesting some resilience to nanoplastic stress over the 21-day study period.

2023 Chemosphere 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Microplastics Affected Survival Rate, Food Intake and Altered Oxidative Stress Parameters in Freshwater Snail Indoplanorbis exustus

Researchers exposed freshwater snails to various concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics and measured the effects on survival and physiology. The study found significant increases in oxidative stress markers and lipid peroxidation, along with reduced food intake and body weight, at higher concentrations. Evidence indicates that microplastics cause broad physiological impairment in freshwater invertebrates, and affected snails failed to recover even after exposure ended.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastic toxicity to the terrestrial snail Cantareus aspersus: size matters

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastic size significantly affects toxicity in the terrestrial snail Cantareus aspersus, with smaller particles causing greater oxidative stress and cellular damage than larger ones.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of exposure to microplastics with environmentally relevant shapes and concentrations: Accumulation, energy metabolism and tissue damage in oyster Crassostrea gigas

Researchers exposed oysters to irregularly shaped polyethylene and PET microplastics at two concentrations for 21 days and measured accumulation, energy metabolism, and tissue damage. They found that the microplastics accumulated in oyster tissues, disrupted energy metabolism, and caused histological damage, with effects varying by polymer type and concentration. The study suggests that environmentally realistic microplastic shapes and concentrations can cause measurable harm to commercially important shellfish species.

2020 Environmental Pollution 213 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on amphipods

Researchers exposed two amphipod species to environmentally relevant polyethylene microplastic concentrations and found increased mortality and oxidative stress, with species-specific sensitivity suggesting ecological impacts even at low exposure levels.

2022 Chemosphere 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Minimal impact at current environmental concentrations of microplastics on energy balance and physiological rates of the giant mussel Choromytilus chorus

The mid-term effects of microplastic ingestion at current higher environmental concentrations on the energy balance of marine invertebrates were evaluated. At realistic environmental concentrations, microplastics had minimal impact on energy budgets, suggesting that current field-level exposures may not cause significant energetic costs for studied marine invertebrate species.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of PVC microplastic ingestion on Biomphalaria alexandrina: behavioral, physiological, and histological responses

Researchers exposed the freshwater snail Biomphalaria alexandrina to PVC microplastics and measured behavioral, physiological, and histological outcomes. They found concentration-dependent harm including reduced feeding and survival, oxidative stress, and damage to digestive glands.

2025 Hydrobiologia
Article Tier 2

Adaptive gut microbiota dysbiosis coupled with altered fatty acid metabolism in apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata): A potential strategy against polystyrene microplastic stress

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.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake, growth, and oxidative stress responses of Rhizophora mucronata (Poir. in Lam.) propagules exposed to high-density polyethylene microplastics

Researchers exposed mangrove propagules to environmentally relevant concentrations of high-density polyethylene microplastics for three months and found that the particles accumulated on root surfaces and translocated into the shoot system. The microplastics caused significant reductions in root length, plant height, and foliar area, along with increased oxidative stress indicators. The study suggests that microplastic pollution poses a real threat to mangrove growth and could ultimately affect the diversity and productivity of mangrove forests.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant microplastic exposure affects sediment-dwelling bivalves

Researchers exposed two species of sediment-dwelling bivalves to polyethylene microplastics at three concentrations and three size classes for four weeks. The study found species-specific responses including reduced body condition and altered burrowing behavior, suggesting that even at environmentally relevant concentrations, microplastics can affect the physiology and behavior of benthic bivalves.

2018 Environmental Pollution 195 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms

Researchers exposed marine worms to microplastics and found that ingestion reduced the worms' energy reserves, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion imposes a measurable energetic cost that could affect growth, reproduction, and survival.

2013 Current Biology 1056 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in mangrove horn snail Telescopium telescopium (Linnaeus, 1758) at mangrove ecosystem, Rambut Island, Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

Researchers found high concentrations of microplastics inside horn snails from an Indonesian mangrove ecosystem, with film-type plastic dominating in both the animals and surrounding sediment. Mangrove-associated shellfish are important food sources for local communities, making microplastic contamination in these animals a potential human health concern.

2021 Journal of Physics Conference Series 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the Effects of Environmental Concentrations of Microplastics on the Aquatic Snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Researchers examined the effects of environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations on the freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, assessing impacts on this benthic invertebrate in an understudied freshwater ecosystem context.

2021 Water Air & Soil Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

The physiological response of the clam Ruditapes philippinarum and scallop Chlamys farreri to varied concentrations of microplastics exposure

Researchers exposed two types of shellfish (clams and scallops) to polyethylene and PET microplastics and found that both species accumulated the particles in their digestive glands and gills. The exposure caused oxidative stress, disrupted energy and fat metabolism, and damaged tissue, with PET generally being more toxic than polyethylene. Since these are commonly eaten shellfish, the findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination affecting the safety of seafood for human consumers.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The pivotal role of bioenergetics in characterizing the hazards of polystyrene and polyethylene nanoparticles to bivalve health and development.

This study examined the metabolic toxicity of various nanoplastics on coastal marine invertebrates by measuring bioenergetic parameters, focusing on how plastic particles disrupt energy allocation in organisms adapted to coastal environments. Nanoplastic exposure impaired bioenergetics in marine organisms, indicating a physiologically significant stress response.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Continuum of size from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana at different levels of biological organization.

Researchers exposed the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana to environmental microplastics and nanoplastics at low concentrations (0.008-100 ug/L), along with standard polystyrene nanoplastics, finding ecotoxicological effects on gills and digestive gland tissues at multiple levels of biological organisation.

2022 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic impacts physiological mechanisms of marine, diadromous, and freshwater crustaceans

Researchers compared the physiological effects of glitter microplastics on marine, diadromous, and freshwater shrimp species at their respective natural salinities, finding species-specific differences in how microplastic exposure affected osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and tissue morphology.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Article Tier 2

Impact of micro- and nano-plastics on marine organisms under environmentally relevant conditions

This review summarized the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on marine organisms including microalgae, crustaceans, snails, and fish at environmentally realistic concentrations. Researchers found that while some species showed tolerance at low concentrations, chronic exposure to nanoplastics in particular caused oxidative stress and behavioral changes. The study emphasizes that more research using real-world concentration levels is needed to accurately assess the risks microplastics pose to ocean life.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

First evidence of meso- and microplastics on the mangrove leaves ingested by herbivorous snails and induced transcriptional responses

First evidence of meso- and microplastic contamination on mangrove leaves was documented, with herbivorous snails that feed on these leaves also found to contain the particles. The findings establish mangrove leaf surfaces as a pathway for microplastic entry into tropical coastal food webs.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Continuum from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects of size and source on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana

Researchers exposed the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana to environmentally realistic concentrations of both microplastics and nanoplastics to compare their toxic effects. The study found that particle size influenced toxicity profiles differently in gill and digestive gland tissues, suggesting that nanoplastics may pose distinct ecotoxicological risks compared to larger microplastic particles in estuarine organisms.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 19 citations