Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Seasonality influences microplastic occurrence in cultured European flat oyster

Researchers monitored microplastic occurrence in cultured European flat oysters across seasons, finding that seasonal variation in water quality and phytoplankton abundance influenced microplastic uptake. Oyster contamination levels fluctuated significantly by season, with implications for food safety monitoring.

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

Microplastic retention in European flat oyster Ostrea edulis cultured in two Mediterranean basins

Researchers measured microplastic accumulation in two life stages of farmed European flat oysters from the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Mediterranean basins. Tyrrhenian oysters showed higher contamination than Adriatic ones—reflecting regional industrialization—and the 50-150 µm size class dominated, coinciding with the dietary plankton size range.

2025 npj Emerging Contaminants
Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentrations in cultured oysters in two seasons from two bays of Baja California, Mexico

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in cultured Pacific oysters from two bays in Baja California, Mexico, across winter and summer seasons. Microfibers were the most abundant particle type found in all samples, with higher concentrations observed during winter. The study suggests that seasonal and spatial factors influence microplastic accumulation in farmed shellfish, which is relevant given that oysters are consumed whole by humans.

2021 Environmental Pollution 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal change of microplastics uptake in the Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas cultured in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, China

Researchers monitored seasonal microplastic uptake in Pacific oysters from five aquaculture farms in China's Yellow and Bohai Seas, finding that autumn had the highest accumulation, fibers were the dominant shape, and PET and cellophane were the most common polymers, with oyster contamination positively correlated with surrounding seawater levels.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term trends of microplastics in seawater and farmed oysters in the Maowei Sea, China

Annual variation in microplastic abundance was tracked in seawater and farmed oysters in the Maowei Sea, a mariculture bay in southern China, over multiple years. The long-term monitoring revealed trends linking seasonal and anthropogenic factors to microplastic contamination levels in both water and shellfish.

2021 Environmental Pollution 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics exposure in European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis: Evaluation of accumulation and depuration under controlled conditions and molecular assessment of a set of reference genes

Researchers evaluated microplastic accumulation and effects in European flat oysters under controlled exposure conditions, examining how filter feeding concentrates plastic particles and whether ingestion impairs oyster health. Exposure resulted in measurable microplastic accumulation in oyster tissue, with effects observed on feeding behavior and physiological condition.

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

Spatio-temporal contamination of microplastics in shellfish farming regions: A case study

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in a major French shellfish farming region over one year, finding that mussels and oysters contained confirmed microplastics with polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymer types, varying by site and season.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Vertical transfer of microplastics in nearshore water by cultured filter-feeding oysters

Researchers measured how cultured oysters transfer microplastics from surface waters to the seafloor through their natural filter-feeding and waste-depositing behavior. They found that biodeposits from oysters contained 3.5 times more microplastics than natural sediment deposits, with a single oyster depositing an estimated 16 microplastic particles per day, suggesting aquaculture areas may become hotspots for microplastic accumulation on the ocean floor.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on European flat oysters, Ostrea edulis and their associated benthic communities

Researchers assessed the effects of microplastics on European flat oysters and their associated benthic communities in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that microplastic exposure affected oyster health and biological functioning, and also altered the structure of surrounding macrofaunal assemblages, demonstrating that microplastic pollution can have community-level ecological impacts.

2016 Environmental Pollution 389 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic in oysters: A review of global trends and comparison to southern Australia

Researchers reviewed global studies on microplastics in oysters and conducted their own sampling across eight sites in southern Australia. Globally, 94.4% of oysters contained microplastics, and the study found that wild-caught oysters contained more than double the microplastics of farmed specimens, likely because aquaculture operations tend to be located in cleaner waters.

2022 Chemosphere 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics exposure in European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis: Evaluation of accumulation and depuration under controlled conditions and molecular assessment of a set of reference genes

Researchers assessed microplastic exposure, accumulation, and depuration in European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis), a species of conservation and aquaculture interest. Oysters accumulated microplastics efficiently and required extended depuration periods to substantially reduce body burdens, with implications for food safety.

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

Factors influencing the microplastic contamination of bivalves from the French Atlantic coast: Location, season and/or mode of life?

This study characterized microplastic contamination in blue mussels and Pacific oysters collected from the French Atlantic coast, examining how season, location, and organism size influence contamination levels. The findings provide a baseline for monitoring bivalve contamination and informing seafood safety assessments.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 294 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variation in the abundance of microplastics in three commercial bivalves from Bandon Bay, Gulf of Thailand

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three types of commercially harvested shellfish from Bandon Bay in Thailand across different seasons. They found that microplastic levels were significantly higher during the dry season, with oysters containing the most particles. The study suggests that seasonal conditions and proximity to fishery activities influence how much microplastic accumulates in seafood.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in marine bivalves, surface water and sediments from an aquaculture in Portugal and possible intake by humans

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in oysters, clams, surface water, and sediments at a Portuguese shellfish farm and estimated the resulting daily human intake from consuming these organisms. Diploid oysters and clams had higher microplastic levels than triploid oysters, and seasonal differences in accumulation were observed. The study provides practical estimates of how much microplastic people may consume through shellfish, contributing to ongoing efforts to quantify dietary exposure.

2025 Regional Studies in Marine Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal occurrence and distribution of microplastics in four different benthic suspension feeders from an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) facility: A bioremediation perspective

Researchers evaluated four filter-feeding marine organisms in an aquaculture facility as potential microplastic bioremediators over a one-year field study. The study found seasonal variation in microplastic uptake, with highest levels in autumn and lowest in spring, and estimated the entire fouling community could collectively remove tens of millions of microplastic particles per season.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in filter-feeding oyster Saccostrea cuccullata: Novel insights in a marine ecosystem

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the filter-feeding oyster Saccostrea cuccullata collected from five coastal sites. They found microplastics present in all oyster specimens, with fibers and fragments being the most common types detected. The study highlights how filter-feeding shellfish can accumulate microplastics from surrounding waters, raising concerns about contamination in marine food chains.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and Depuration of Microplastics by Oysters Upon the Laboratory Conditions

Researchers monitored microplastic accumulation and elimination in oysters over 30 days, finding that the digestive tract accumulated the highest concentrations (bioaccumulation factors increasing from ~10 to ~41 over 10 days), and that most particles were eliminated within 30 days of depuration.

2025 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Concentrations in Two Oregon Bivalve Species: Spatial, Temporal, and Species Variability

Pacific oysters and razor clams from Oregon were found to contain microplastics, with concentrations varying by species, location, and season. The findings have direct relevance for human health since both species are commercially harvested and consumed.

2019 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Oyster as sentinels of recent microplastic contamination: Insights from a transplant experiment

Researchers used oyster transplantation experiments to study how microplastics accumulate and are excreted in sentinel organisms under field-realistic conditions. The study found that bivalves can serve as effective biomonitors of recent microplastic contamination in coastal ecosystems. The findings help fill knowledge gaps about the dynamics of microplastic uptake and clearance in marine filter feeders.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Quantification of the vertical transport of microplastics by biodeposition of typical mariculture filter-feeding organisms

This study quantified the vertical transport of microplastics by mariculture filter feeders (oysters and mussels) through biodeposition of feces and pseudofeces, finding that bivalve biodeposition is a meaningful biological pump driving microplastics from surface water to the seafloor.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

One-year variation in quantity and properties of microplastics in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and cockles (Cerastoderma edule) from Aveiro lagoon

Researchers sampled mussels and cockles from the Aveiro lagoon in Portugal monthly throughout 2019 and found that microplastic quantity and properties (shape, size, color, polymer type) varied significantly across seasons, highlighting the importance of temporal sampling for accurate bivalve contamination assessments.

2023 Environmental Pollution 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastic Pollution at Oyster Reefs and Other Coastal Sites in the Mississippi Sound, USA: Impacts of Freshwater Inflows from Flooding

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in water at oyster reef sites along the Mississippi Gulf Coast during a period of historic flooding that caused prolonged freshwater intrusion. The study found that flooding events increased microplastic concentrations in coastal waters, suggesting that extreme weather and freshwater inflows from rivers can intensify microplastic pollution in estuarine environments where filter-feeding shellfish are especially vulnerable.

2020 Toxics 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal pulses of microplastic emissions to the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers found that microplastic emissions to the Mediterranean Sea via the Na'aman stream in Israel showed strong seasonal pulses driven by rainfall, with abundances and types varying significantly before, during, and after the rainy season along the streambank and nearby beach.

2025 Environmental Research Letters
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Content in Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from South Carolina, USA

Researchers analyzed microplastic content in oysters, water, and sediments from four estuaries in South Carolina, USA, quantifying contamination levels across these matrices in the commercially important Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.

2024 Figshare