Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics renders immunity of the thick-shell mussel more vulnerable to diarrhetic shellfish toxin-producing harmful algae

Researchers found that mussels previously exposed to microplastics became more vulnerable to toxic algae blooms, suffering greater immune system damage than mussels without prior microplastic exposure. The microplastics weakened the mussels' defenses by causing oxidative stress, cell death, and energy depletion, leaving them less able to fight off the algal toxins. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, this combined threat could affect both marine ecosystems and food safety for humans.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on the feeding behavior, oxidative stress, and accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in the mussel Mytilus unguiculatus

Polystyrene micro/nanoplastics altered feeding behavior and induced oxidative stress in mussels (Mytilus unguiculatus) and — critically — increased accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in mussel tissue, raising concerns about combined microplastic-algal toxin food safety risks.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics aggravate the bioaccumulation and corresponding food safety risk of antibiotics in edible bivalves by constraining detoxification-related processes

Researchers found that microplastics increased the accumulation of antibiotics in three commercially important species of edible shellfish. The microplastics interfered with the animals' natural detoxification processes, making it harder for them to clear antibiotic residues from their tissues. The study raises food safety concerns, suggesting that microplastic-contaminated coastal waters could lead to higher antibiotic levels in the seafood people consume.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Influence of microplastics

Researchers investigated whether microplastics influence the bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in Mediterranean mussels. The study found that the presence of microplastics altered how certain chemical pollutants accumulated in mussel tissue, suggesting that microplastics can act as carriers that change the uptake and distribution of other contaminants in marine organisms.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers exposed marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) to microplastics and analyzed changes to their gut microbiota, finding significant shifts in microbial community composition that could affect digestion, immunity, and overall health.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion in mussels from the East Mediterranean Sea: Exploring its impacts in nature and controlled conditions

Mussels from fish farms in the eastern Mediterranean had the highest microplastic contamination, likely from plastic aquaculture equipment, while mussels from a Marine Protected Area had the lowest. The study found that higher microplastic levels in mussels were linked to measurable signs of oxidative stress, DNA damage, and nerve toxicity, showing that these filter-feeding shellfish -- commonly eaten by people -- are actively harmed by the plastic particles they ingest.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and food shortage impair the byssal attachment of thick-shelled mussel Mytilus coruscus

Researchers found that microplastic exposure combined with food shortage significantly impaired byssal attachment in the mussel Mytilus coruscus, reducing thread production and adhesion strength, which could compromise mussel survival in polluted marine environments.

2021 Marine Environmental Research 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics can aggravate the impact of ocean acidification on the health of mussels: Insights from physiological performance, immunity and byssus properties

Researchers found that the combination of ocean acidification and microplastic exposure weakened mussel immune systems, reduced feeding performance, and degraded the quality of byssus threads used for attachment. The study suggests that co-occurring ocean acidification and microplastic pollution could increase the vulnerability of bivalves to disease and dislodgement, threatening their survival in future marine environments.

2022 Environmental Pollution 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesized effects of medium-term exposure to seawater acidification and microplastics on the physiology and energy budget of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus

Researchers found that combined exposure to ocean acidification and microplastics significantly reduced the feeding rate, food absorption, and energy budget of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus, with acidification amplifying the negative effects of microplastics.

2022 Environmental Pollution 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological effects of plastic particles on mussels are mediated by food presence

Thick shell mussels exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (70 nm) and microplastics (10 µm) with and without microalgae food found that food presence mediated the physiological effects — microplastics reduced energy budget and increased oxidative stress markers most strongly when food was mixed with particles.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological Impacts of Microplastics: Effects on Levels of Cellular Thiols in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects cellular thiol antioxidants in Mediterranean mussels, finding that short-term exposure altered glutathione and ovothiol levels, indicating oxidative stress as a key mechanism of microplastic toxicity in benthic species.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics impair digestive performance but show little effects on antioxidant activity in mussels under low pH conditions

Researchers exposed thick shell mussels to polystyrene microplastics under both normal and acidified ocean conditions. They found that microplastics had little effect on antioxidant defenses but significantly impaired digestive enzyme activity, with ocean acidification worsening the impact. The study suggests that the combined stress of microplastics and lower pH may pose particular risks to the digestive function of marine shellfish.

2019 Environmental Pollution 160 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

Microplastics alter digestive enzyme activities in the marine bivalve, Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers incubated Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) with polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics and measured changes in digestive enzyme activity, finding significant reductions in amylase and protease activity, suggesting that microplastics impair nutrient digestion in filter-feeding bivalves.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 125 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis to Microplastics: Accumulation, Depuration and Evaluation of the Expression Levels of a Selection of Molecular Biomarkers

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to a realistic mixture of microplastic types and then tested whether a standard purification process could remove them. They found that purification significantly reduced microplastic contamination in the mussels and that molecular biomarkers in the gills could detect the biological effects of exposure. The study suggests that both purification protocols and molecular monitoring tools could help address microplastic risks in farmed shellfish.

2023 Animals 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and transcriptome analysis of Mytilus coruscus in response to Prorocentrum lima and microplastics

The combined effects of diarrhetic shellfish toxin and microplastics on the mussel Mytilus coruscus were assessed at physiological and transcriptomic levels, revealing synergistic disruption of immune function, antioxidant responses, and metabolic pathways. The study provides molecular-level evidence of interactive toxicity between two common coastal contaminants.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on copepod (Eurytemora affinis) and mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers studied how microplastic exposure affects the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mussel Mytilus edulis, examining effects on feeding, reproduction, and overall health at relevant environmental concentrations. Results showed microplastics impaired physiological functions in both species, with additional risks from microorganism-colonized plastic surfaces.

2024 Open MIND
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polyamide microplastics and the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus on the immune parameters of Mytilus coruscus

When mussels were exposed to nylon microplastics along with harmful Vibrio bacteria, they suffered gill damage, increased oxidative stress, and weakened immune defenses compared to either stressor alone. The combined exposure suppressed key immune enzymes that mussels need to fight infection. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, this study raises concerns that microplastic-contaminated shellfish could carry more pathogens and be less safe to eat.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics on bioaccumulation and toxicity of dibutyl phthalate in Mytilisepta virgata

Researchers investigated how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect the accumulation and toxicity of dibutyl phthalate, a common marine pollutant, in mussels. They found that the type and aging state of microplastics influenced how much phthalate accumulated in the mussels' tissues, and that the accumulated pollutant persisted even after the exposure ended. The study suggests that while mussels can survive these exposures, they risk significant pollutant buildup and oxidative damage when microplastics and phthalates coexist.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Are microplastics impacting shellfish?

Researchers investigated whether microplastic contamination measurably impacts shellfish physiology, growth, reproduction, and health outcomes, assessing the ecological and food safety implications of microplastic exposure in commercially and ecologically important bivalve species.

2024
Article Tier 2

The observation of starch digestion in blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to microplastic particles under varied food conditions

Researchers exposed blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) to microplastics under varying food availability conditions and monitored digestive performance, finding that microplastic ingestion disrupted starch digestion efficiency and that the effect was more pronounced when food was scarce.

2021 PLoS ONE 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant levels of polyethylene microplastic on Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mollusca: Bivalvia): filtration rate and oxidative stress

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant reductions in filtration rate and signs of oxidative damage in the digestive gland. The study suggests that microplastics as small as 40-48 micrometers can disrupt antioxidant defenses in bivalves even at low concentrations, raising concerns about their impact on marine filter-feeders.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the clam Ruditapes decussatus (Mollusca: Bivalvia): examination of filtration rate, growth, and immunomodulation

Researchers exposed clams to polyethylene microplastics at three different concentrations for 14 days and measured the effects on feeding, growth, and immune function. They found that higher microplastic concentrations reduced the clams' ability to filter water and caused weight loss, while also disrupting immune cell integrity. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution can impair both the feeding efficiency and immune defenses of shellfish.

2023 Ecotoxicology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive effects of palladium (Pd) and microplastics (MPs) on metal bioaccumulation and biological responses in the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis

This study exposed Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) to the rare metal palladium (Pd) either dissolved in water or adsorbed onto microplastics, finding that MP-adsorbed Pd accumulated 2–3 times more in mussel tissues than water-dissolved Pd. The findings confirm that microplastics can dramatically enhance the bioavailability of toxic metals in marine organisms, with implications for seafood safety.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 13 citations