Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics on bivalve mollusks: A bibliometric and scientific review

This review examines how microplastics affect bivalve shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams, which are important both ecologically and as human food sources. Microplastics disrupt bivalve feeding, growth, reproduction, and immune function, and can also carry other toxic pollutants into their tissues. Since bivalves filter large volumes of water and are often eaten whole by humans, they represent a direct pathway for microplastic transfer from the ocean to our bodies.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the hidden impacts: A comprehensive review of microplastic effects on marine bivalves

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics accumulate in marine bivalves through their filter-feeding behavior, covering mechanisms of ingestion, bioaccumulation, oxidative stress induction, immune disruption, and growth inhibition, with implications for food safety given widespread human consumption of bivalves.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Review Tier 2

Influence of Microplastics on Freshwater Bivalves (Review)

This review analyzed studies on microplastic uptake, bioaccumulation, and biological effects in freshwater bivalves, which serve as both pollution sentinels and vectors for microplastic entry into food webs. The authors found consistent evidence for particle accumulation causing physiological stress, while calling for more standardized exposure protocols to improve cross-study comparability.

2024 Inland Water Biology 1 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
Review Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on freshwater bivalves (review)

This review synthesized knowledge on how microplastics affect freshwater bivalves, covering ingestion, tissue accumulation, physiological stress responses, and reproductive impacts. Bivalves are shown to be sensitive bioindicators of microplastic contamination in rivers and lakes.

2024 Биология внутренних вод 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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This review examines microplastic contamination in coastal and marine environments, focusing on bivalves as sentinel organisms due to their filter-feeding behavior and widespread use as human food, synthesizing evidence on physiological damage across aquatic species and ecological risks from plastic particle transfer through food chains.

2022 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in commercial bivalves from China

Researchers analyzed microplastics in commercially sold bivalves from China, finding contamination across multiple species and geographic origins, with implications for human dietary microplastic exposure through shellfish consumption.

2015 Environmental Pollution 960 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring microplastics in commercial bivalve species and in bivalve aquaculture waters: Insights from the southern Pacific

Microplastics were detected in multiple commercially sold bivalve species (such as mussels and oysters) and in nearby inland and coastal waters. Because bivalves are widely eaten by humans, the findings raise direct concerns about microplastic dietary exposure through seafood consumption.

2025 Water Biology and Security 1 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
Review Tier 2

The Presence of Microplastics in Shellfish: A Review

This literature review synthesizes studies on microplastic presence in shellfish across global aquaculture and wild harvest settings, finding widespread contamination across species and highlighting ingestion during filter feeding as the dominant uptake route.

2024 Hydrogen Jurnal Kependidikan Kimia
Article Tier 2

Are bivalves a source of microplastics for humans? A case study in the Brazilian markets

Researchers found that all four species of bivalves sold in Brazilian markets contained microplastics, averaging 1.64 particles per gram, confirming that commercially sold shellfish are a source of microplastic exposure for consumers.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 24 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

Effects of microplastics on bivalves: Are experimental settings reflecting conditions in the field?

A critical comparison of experimental microplastic studies on bivalves found that most laboratory studies used particle concentrations far exceeding environmental levels and polymer types that differ from field observations, concluding that many reported toxic effects may not be ecologically relevant and calling for environmentally realistic experimental designs.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on physiological performance of marine bivalves, potential impacts, and enlightening the future based on a comparative study

This review examines the effects of microplastics and their chemical additives on the physiology of marine bivalves such as mussels and oysters, including impacts on feeding, reproduction, immunity, and gene expression. Researchers identified significant gaps in the literature, particularly regarding the combined effects of microplastics with other environmental stressors. The study highlights that while individual studies show varied results, the cumulative evidence suggests microplastic exposure can alter key biological functions in these ecologically important organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 71 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

Microplastics effects on the physiology of the Mussel Perna perna (Bivalvia:Mytilidae)

This Brazilian study exposed mussels (Perna perna) to polyethylene microplastics from cosmetics to examine whether effects are physical or chemical in nature. The study contributes to understanding of microplastic risks to filter-feeding shellfish that are widely consumed by humans.

2015 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Shellfish – A Threat to Seafood Safety?

This review evaluated the current knowledge on microplastic contamination in fish and shellfish in relation to seafood safety. Researchers found that while microplastics are commonly detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish (which are typically not consumed), bivalves and small fish eaten whole may present a more direct route of human exposure, though the overall health risk from microplastics in seafood remains uncertain.

2020 Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Direct and indirect effects of microplastics on bivalves, with a focus on edible species: A mini-review

This mini-review examined direct and indirect pathways by which microplastics affect bivalves including mussels, oysters, and clams, finding evidence that microplastics impair physiology, alter immune responses, and act as vectors for chemical pollutants. The authors highlight microplastics as an emerging threat to bivalve populations and seafood safety.

2019 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 138 citations
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

Influence of the reproductive cycle and sex on microplastic toxicity in mussels

Researchers examined how sex and reproductive stage affect the toxicity of plastic leachates in mussels, finding that biological factors like reproductive cycle significantly influence how marine invertebrates respond to plastic chemical contamination.

2025
Article Tier 2

An examination of the occurrence and potential risks of microplastics across various shellfish

Researchers compared microplastic contamination levels in commercial shellfish from northern (Qingdao) and southern (Xiamen) China, finding microplastics in 70-100% of samples. The study assessed potential human health risks from consuming contaminated shellfish, with microplastic abundances varying across species and geographic locations.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 154 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in commercially important seafood species

This review summarizes evidence that microplastic ingestion is widespread in commercially important seafood species including mollusks, crustaceans, and fish. Evidence indicates that microplastics can affect physiology, reproductive success, and survival in marine organisms, and may also act as vectors for chemical pollutants. The study highlights the potential for human exposure to microplastics through seafood consumption, though the full health implications remain to be determined.

2017 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 266 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in Manila clams and Pacific oysters grown at commercial shellfish aquaculture sites versus reference beaches in coastal British Columbia, finding that proximity to aquaculture operations influenced microplastic levels in both bivalves and surrounding sediments.

2019 Aquaculture Environment Interactions 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic prevalence, diversity and characteristics in commercially important edible bivalves and gastropods in relation to environmental matrices

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance and characteristics in the tissues of commercially important bivalves and gastropods from the southwest coast of India, finding MPs across all five species examined and raising concerns about seafood safety.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 26 citations