Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Meteorological and Water Quality Factors Associated with Microbial Diversity in Coastal Water from Intensified Oyster Production Areas of Thailand

Researchers monitored bacterial pathogens and water quality in major oyster cultivation areas across Thailand, finding that fecal coliform levels and pathogen presence varied with meteorological and environmental factors, with implications for seafood safety and public health risk.

2022 Water 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination by microplastics in oysters shows a widespread but patchy occurrence in a subtropical estuarine system

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in oysters across a subtropical estuarine system and found widespread but highly variable levels of pollution. Higher contamination generally correlated with areas of greater human activity, though unexpectedly high levels were also found in remote marine protected areas. The study found that 94 percent of oyster samples contained microplastics, suggesting these bivalves could serve as indicators of environmental contamination.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 13 citations
Article Tier 2

First report of detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in oysters (Crassostrea sp.) in the state of Maranhão

This study detected Toxoplasma gondii DNA in oysters from a Brazilian coastal state for the first time. Shellfish are already known to accumulate microplastics; this finding illustrates that filter feeders also concentrate other environmental pathogens, compounding the food safety concerns associated with coastal pollution.

2020 Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária/Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Parasitology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Vibrio vulnificus and Microcystis aeruginosa co-exposures on microplastic accumulation and depuration in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Researchers studied how exposure to harmful bacteria, including Vibrio and Microcystis species, affects the ability of Eastern oysters to accumulate and clear out microplastics. They found that bacterial co-exposure reduced the oysters' filtration rates, causing them to retain more microplastics for longer periods. The study suggests that climate-driven increases in harmful bacteria could worsen the microplastic burden in commercially important shellfish.

2024 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
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
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in oysters along a Bornean coastline (Brunei, South China Sea): Insights into local sources and sinks

Researchers found microplastics in all oyster samples along a Bornean coastline, with contamination levels in the polluted Brunei Estuarine System reaching up to 7.20 particles/g tissue, dominated by small polypropylene fragments under 50 µm, while relatively pristine open-shore sites showed substantially lower accumulation.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 22 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
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

Quantifying Spatial and Temporal Trends of Microplastic Pollution in Surface Water and in the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica for a Dynamic Florida Estuary

Researchers monitored microplastic pollution in surface waters and tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica across 35 sites in Florida's Indian River Lagoon over one year using microscopy and ATR-FTIR, quantifying spatial and temporal variability in MP abundance and identifying factors influencing distribution patterns in this dynamic estuarine system.

2022 Environments 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Colonization characteristics of bacterial communities on microplastics compared with ambient environments (water and sediment) in Haihe Estuary

Bacterial communities colonizing microplastics in Haihe Estuary sediments and water were found to differ substantially from ambient environmental communities, with microplastics selecting for distinct bacterial assemblages including potential pathogens. This confirms that microplastics create ecological niches that alter microbial ecology in estuarine environments.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 144 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the composition and distribution of microplastics surface biofilms in coral areas

Researchers investigated the composition and distribution of microbial biofilms on microplastic surfaces collected from coral reef areas. The study found that microplastics harbor distinct microbial communities including potentially pathogenic species, raising concerns that microplastic pollution may contribute to coral disease by serving as vectors for harmful microorganisms in reef ecosystems.

2020 Chemosphere 158 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

Potentially pathogenic bacteria in the plastisphere from water, sediments, and commercial fish in a tropical coastal lagoon: An assessment and management proposal

Researchers examined the types of potentially harmful bacteria living on microplastics found in water, sediments, and commercial fish in a tropical coastal lagoon. They identified several pathogenic species colonizing the microplastic surfaces, which could pose risks when contaminated fish are consumed by humans. The study proposes management strategies to reduce the public health threat of microplastic-associated pathogens in fisheries.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and linear alkylbenzene levels in oysters Crassostrea gigas driven by sewage contamination at an important aquaculture area of Brazil

Researchers found microplastic fibers in oysters from all six farming areas surveyed in southern Brazil, with contamination levels of sewage markers and microplastics correlating with proximity to urban sewage discharge, highlighting risks to both aquaculture quality and food safety.

2022 Chemosphere 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals accumulation in native oysters Crassostrea Gasar in the Paranaguá estuarine system, Brazil

Researchers examined native oysters from the Paranagua estuarine system in Brazil for both microplastic contamination and heavy metal accumulation. They found high levels of microplastics in all oyster samples, along with elevated concentrations of several heavy metals, and observed potential interactions between the two pollutant types. The study raises concerns about the combined exposure risks from microplastics and heavy metals in seafood harvested from polluted estuaries.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 84 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

Microbiological Quality of Oysters From an Estuary in Northeast Pará, Brazil, Before and After Purification Process

Researchers assessed the microbiological quality of farmed oysters in a northeastern Brazilian estuary before and after purification. Oysters collected before purification showed elevated fecal contamination, while purification for up to 36 hours reduced microbial loads. The study underscores the importance of depuration for food safety in aquaculture regions affected by sewage.

2023 Preprints.org 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Improving ecological function of polluted coasts under a tide of plastic waste

This paper synthesizes evidence showing that oyster reefs, which naturally filter excess nitrogen from coastal water and prevent harmful algal blooms, are vulnerable to collapse if microplastic pollution continues to rise — with critical pollution thresholds already exceeded in some of the world's most polluted rivers. The work underscores that microplastics don't just harm individual organisms but can disable entire ecosystem services that people depend on for clean coastal water.

2023 Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of anthropogenic particles and microplastics in a meso-tidal lagoon (Arcachon Bay, France): A multi-compartment approach

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination across multiple compartments (surface water, water column, sediments, and oysters) in the Arcachon Bay, a meso-tidal Atlantic lagoon in France, mapping spatial distribution and finding widespread contamination throughout the system.

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

Microplastics Facilitate Protozoan Pathogen Contamination in Shellfish

Researchers found that microplastics can facilitate the contamination of shellfish with disease-causing parasites including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Toxoplasma. Oysters exposed to both protozoan pathogens and polyester microfibers harbored significantly more parasites than those exposed to pathogens alone, suggesting microplastics may serve as vectors that increase pathogen levels in seafood.

2026 Microorganisms
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in oysters Saccostrea cucullata along the Pearl River Estuary, China

Microplastics were found in oysters from multiple sites along the Pearl River Estuary in China, with concentrations varying by site and correlating with local microplastic levels in surrounding water. The results indicate that farmed and wild oysters in this heavily polluted estuary accumulate microplastics that could reach consumers.

2018 Environmental Pollution 322 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in oyster bed ecosystems: An assessment of the northern shores of the United Arab Emirates

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in oysters and surrounding sediments at five sites along the UAE coastline, finding microplastics in all sediment samples and more than half of oyster samples — with plastic fibers making up 93% of particles found. The study is the first of its kind in the region and highlights potential risks to marine food webs and seafood safety.

2022 Environmental Advances 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Affect the Ecological Functioning of an Important Biogenic Habitat

Researchers tested how microplastics affect the ecological functioning of oyster and mussel habitats in outdoor mesocosms. The study found that both biodegradable and conventional microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations can alter filtration rates and nutrient cycling in these important biogenic habitats, suggesting broader ecosystem-level impacts.

2016 Environmental Science & Technology 259 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance of microplastics in oysters Crassostrea gigas and water from a highly anthropized estuary.

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in surface water and whole tissue of Crassostrea gigas oysters at two sites in the Bahia Blanca estuary, a highly anthropized system in Argentina with major port, petrochemical, and urban wastewater inputs. MPs ranged from 6 to 50 items/L in water and 0 to 2 items/g wet weight in oyster tissue, with transparent and blue fibers predominating in both matrices.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)