Papers

20 results
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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

Realistic Environmental Exposure of Microplastics in European Flat Oyster, Ostrea edulis: Evaluation of Accumulation and Depuration Under Controlled Conditions and Molecular Assessment of a Set of Reference Genes

Researchers exposed European flat oysters to microplastics under environmentally realistic conditions and measured their ability to accumulate and then purge the particles. They found that oysters accumulated an average of about 5 microplastic particles per gram, predominantly filaments, but a two-day depuration period reduced contamination by over 90%. The study also identified stable reference genes for molecular stress monitoring, supporting the development of standardized tools for tracking microplastic impacts on marine bivalves.

2025 Water 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An overview of microplastics in oysters: Analysis, hazards, and depuration

This review summarized microplastic analysis methods, hazards, and depuration strategies in oysters, highlighting that microplastics serve as carriers for contaminants and that depuration periods can significantly reduce microplastic loads in oyster tissues.

2023 Food Chemistry 34 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

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
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 Depuration in Two Commercially Farmed Oyster Species from the West Coast of Ireland

Researchers assessed microplastic depuration efficacy in Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) and European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) from Irish aquaculture over four depuration periods from 24 to 96 hours. MP concentrations in edible tissue were significantly reduced after 96-hour depuration in both species, with FTIR analysis revealing that over half of isolated fibers were of natural rather than synthetic origin.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Efficacy of microplastic depuration on two commercial oyster species from the west coast of Ireland

A 96-hour depuration experiment with 50 individuals each of Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) and European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) from Ireland showed that extended depuration significantly reduced microplastic concentrations in edible tissue — from 0.6 to 0.2 particles per gram in Pacific oysters and from 0.4 to 0.1 particles per gram in flat oysters. Notably, over half of the particles identified were natural fibers rather than synthetic plastics. The results suggest that lengthening standard commercial depuration times beyond 72 hours could meaningfully reduce microplastic levels in oysters sold for human consumption.

2023 Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in commercially important edible marine bivalves: A comprehensive review

This review summarizes research on microplastic contamination in edible shellfish like mussels, clams, and oysters, which accumulate high levels of plastic particles in their tissues. Because bivalves are eaten whole including their digestive systems, they are a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human body. While microplastics do not appear to kill shellfish outright, they can harm their immune systems and reproduction, potentially affecting both shellfish populations and human consumers.

2024 Food Chemistry X 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics extraction from oyster tissue v1

Researchers developed and validated a protocol for extracting microplastics from oyster tissue, addressing the challenges of isolating plastic particles from a complex biological matrix that includes lipids, proteins, and mineral content. The method enables reliable quantification of microplastic contamination in bivalves — a widely consumed seafood and established bioindicator of coastal pollution — supporting standardised monitoring of microplastic uptake in marine food species.

2024
Article Tier 2

Assessing Microplastic Contamination and Depuration Effectiveness in Farmed Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in farmed Pacific oysters from Portugal's Lima estuary and tested whether commercial and laboratory depuration reduces microplastic levels. Contamination was higher in autumn than winter, all microplastics found were fibers (polyethylene terephthalate dominant), and depuration reduced but did not eliminate microplastic loads.

2025 Environments
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

Effects of aged microplastics on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in oysters and their excreta

Researchers studied how aged microplastics affect the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in oysters and their excreta. The study found that microplastics can serve as carriers for antibiotic resistance genes in filter-feeding organisms, potentially exacerbating the spread of antibiotic resistance in aquaculture environments where plastic contamination is widespread.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 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

Microplastics in bivalves cultured for human consumption

Researchers examined two commercially farmed bivalve species, mussels and oysters, and found microplastics in the edible tissues of both. Mussels contained an average of 0.36 particles per gram of tissue, while oysters had 0.47 particles per gram. Since these shellfish are consumed whole without removing the gut, the study suggests they represent a direct pathway for human ingestion of microplastics.

2014 Environmental Pollution 1992 citations
Article Tier 2

Short Depuration of Oysters Intended for Human Consumption Is Effective at Reducing Exposure to Nanoplastics

Researchers exposed oysters to palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics and tracked their uptake and clearance over time. They found that the digestive gland accumulated the most nanoplastics, but nearly complete clearance occurred after 30 days of depuration. The study suggests that a short post-harvest depuration period of 24 to 48 hours could potentially reduce nanoplastic content in oysters intended for human consumption by up to 75 percent.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 43 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

Microplastics in the European native oyster, Ostrea edulis, to monitoring pollution-related patterns in the Solent region (United Kingdom)

This is the first study to examine microplastic contamination in the European flat oyster, finding microplastics present in every oyster sampled from the Solent region in southern England. Researchers detected particles in both gill and digestive tissues, with fibers being the most common type. The study raises concerns about shellfish as a pathway for human microplastic exposure, since oysters are commonly consumed as whole organisms.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations