Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Unveiling the effects of polyethylene microplastic on the physiological responses across different size classes of Telescopium telescopium

Researchers exposed mangrove horn snails of two different size classes to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics for 21 days and measured their energy balance and stress responses. They found that both small and large snails experienced negative energy balance and increased oxidative stress at medium and high microplastic concentrations. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in estuarine environments may threaten the survival of organisms across different life stages.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Gradual effects of gradient concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics on metabolic processes of the razor clams

Researchers exposed razor clams to a gradient of polystyrene nanoplastic concentrations and used metabolomics to track effects, finding that even low concentrations disrupted energy metabolism and amino acid pathways, with effects becoming more severe as concentration increased.

2021 Environmental Pollution 47 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 organisms by focusing on bioenergetics, measuring how plastic particles disrupt the energy balance of animals adapted to coastal habitats. Nanoplastic exposure impaired energy metabolism, suggesting physiological stress that could affect survival and fitness in polluted coastal environments.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

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
Review Tier 2

Bioaccumulation and ecotoxicological impact of micro(nano)plastics in aquatic and land snails: Historical review, current research and emerging trends

This review summarizes the ecotoxicological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on aquatic and land snail species worldwide. Researchers found evidence of microplastic bioaccumulation in 40 gastropod species, with Asia showing the highest contamination levels, and documented harmful effects including behavioral changes, oxidative stress, and tissue damage. The study highlights that toxicity depends on particle composition, shape, and size, and identifies significant research gaps in understanding how these pollutants affect invertebrate communities.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 60 citations
Article Tier 2

The multigenerational effects of nanoplastic exposure on fitness and oxidative stress of Drosophila melanogaster

Researchers tracked the effects of nanoplastic exposure on fitness and oxidative stress markers across multiple generations of a small aquatic invertebrate. Reproductive success and antioxidant defenses deteriorated progressively across generations, suggesting that multigenerational exposure to nanoplastics causes cumulative ecological harm.

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

Accumulation of Nanoplastics in Biomphalaria glabrata Embryos and Transgenerational Developmental Effects

Researchers exposed Biomphalaria glabrata freshwater snail embryos to nanoplastics and tracked accumulation in developing tissues, finding that nanoplastics penetrate embryonic barriers and accumulate in organs. The study highlights vulnerability of early developmental stages to nanoplastic exposure.

2024 Preprints.org
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

The multigenerational effects of nanoplastic exposure on fitness and oxidative stress of Drosophila melanogaster

Researchers assessed the multigenerational effects of nanoplastic exposure on the fitness and oxidative stress levels of a small aquatic crustacean across several generations. Negative effects on reproduction and oxidative balance accumulated across generations, suggesting that multigenerational exposure amplifies the harm from nanoplastics.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Metabolomics reveals the mechanism of polyethylene microplastic toxicity to Daphnia magna

Using metabolomics and traditional toxicology, researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes affect the water flea Daphnia magna. The study found that microplastic exposure disrupted amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and energy pathways, with smaller particles generally causing more pronounced metabolic disturbances.

2022 Chemosphere 56 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

Marine mussel metabolism under stress: Dual effects of nanoplastics and coastal hypoxia

This study examined how nanoplastics and low oxygen levels together affect marine mussels, finding that both stressors disrupted the animals' internal balance and energy metabolism. The combination of nanoplastics and oxygen-depleted water was more harmful than either stressor alone, damaging cellular defenses against oxidative stress. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, these findings raise questions about the safety of shellfish harvested from polluted, oxygen-poor coastal waters.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of exposure to nanoplastics on the gill of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis: An integrated perspective from multiple biomarkers

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polystyrene nanoplastics for seven days and measured multiple gill biomarkers, finding that nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, inhibited acetylcholinesterase, disrupted sodium-potassium ion transport, and impaired energy and lipid metabolism, pointing to broad physiological interference in marine invertebrates.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Adaptive response of triploid Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata) to nanoplastic stress: Insights from physiological, metabolomic, and microbial community analyses

Researchers exposed triploid Fujian oysters to nanoplastics for 14 days and studied their physiological, metabolic, and microbial responses. They found that the oysters showed strong adaptive capacity, adjusting their metabolism and gut microbial communities to cope with nanoplastic stress. The study provides important insights into how shellfish respond to increasing nanoplastic pollution in ocean environments.

2023 Chemosphere 22 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

Changes in life-history traits, antioxidant defense, energy metabolism and molecular outcomes in the cladoceran Daphnia pulex after exposure to polystyrene microplastics

Researchers exposed the freshwater zooplankton Daphnia pulex to polystyrene microplastics and observed dose-dependent effects on survival, antioxidant capacity, and energy metabolism. The study found that microplastics accumulated in the digestive tract, caused lipid oxidative damage, disrupted sugar and fat metabolism, and activated DNA repair mechanisms while inhibiting lipid metabolism pathways.

2022 Chemosphere 42 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Potential toxicity of nanoplastics to fish and aquatic invertebrates: Current understanding, mechanistic interpretation, and meta-analysis

Nanoplastics significantly reduced survival, behavior, and reproduction of fish and aquatic invertebrates by 56%, 24%, and 36% respectively, while increasing oxidative stress by 72% and decreasing antioxidant defenses by 24%, with effects influenced by particle size, functional groups, and concentration.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Metabolism deficiency and oxidative stress induced by plastic particles in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis: Common and distinct phenotypic and transcriptomic responses to nano- and microplastics

Researchers found that nanoplastics caused stronger reproductive and population growth inhibition in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis than microplastics, with transcriptomic analysis revealing distinct size-dependent toxicity pathways involving metabolism deficiency and oxidative stress.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 24 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Microplastics on the Bioenergetics of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus Assessed by Cellular Energy Allocation Approach

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene microplastics on the energy budget of mussels using a cellular energy allocation approach. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics increased energy demands while depleting carbohydrate, lipid, and protein stores, with lipid and protein levels failing to fully recover even after the microplastics were removed.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Sub-lethal effects of nanoplastics upon chronic exposure to Daphnia magna

Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to nanoplastics for 21 days and found that 20 nm particles at 50 mg/L caused significant sublethal effects including reduced reproduction and altered growth, while 200 nm particles at the same mass concentration had less impact.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics on clam Ruditapes philippinarum at environmentally realistic concentrations: Toxicokinetics, toxicity, and gut microbiota

Researchers exposed clams to nanoplastics at concentrations found in real marine environments and tracked how the particles accumulated in their tissues over 14 days. The nanoplastics caused physical damage and significantly altered the clams' gut bacteria. This is concerning because clams are widely consumed seafood, meaning nanoplastic contamination could affect both marine ecosystems and human food sources.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 33 citations