Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as Vehicles of Environmental PAHs to Marine Organisms: Combined Chemical and Physical Hazards to the Mediterranean Mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to microplastics that had adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated harbor water and observed both physical and chemical hazard effects. The study found that microplastics acted as vehicles delivering PAHs to mussel tissues, causing cellular stress responses, immune modulation, and genotoxicity beyond what clean microplastics produced alone.

2018 Frontiers in Marine Science 383 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics alone or with sorbed oil compounds from the water accommodated fraction of a North Sea crude oil on marine mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Researchers investigated whether polystyrene microplastics could act as a Trojan horse for oil pollutants in marine mussels and found that while mussels accumulated PAHs from crude oil exposure, microplastics alone did not significantly enhance pollutant transfer or cause additional toxic effects.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons and microplastics alone or in combination to a bivalve species: Synergic impacts and potential toxication mechanisms

Marine mussels exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons and microplastics separately and together showed that combined exposure caused greater immune suppression and lysosomal damage than either stressor alone, identifying oxidative stress pathways as a key mechanism of joint toxicity.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Impact of Microplastic Filaments Contaminated with PAHs on Mytilus coruscus Larvae through Surface Contact

Researchers assessed the impact of microplastic filaments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus coruscus), finding that PAH-laden filaments caused oxidative stress and tissue damage even without direct ingestion of the microplastic fibers.

2023 Toxics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Influence of microplastics

Researchers investigated whether microplastics influence the bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in Mediterranean mussels. The study found that the presence of microplastics altered how certain chemical pollutants accumulated in mussel tissue, suggesting that microplastics can act as carriers that change the uptake and distribution of other contaminants in marine organisms.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on the feeding behavior, oxidative stress, and accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in the mussel Mytilus unguiculatus

Polystyrene micro/nanoplastics altered feeding behavior and induced oxidative stress in mussels (Mytilus unguiculatus) and — critically — increased accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in mussel tissue, raising concerns about combined microplastic-algal toxin food safety risks.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Stress in Mussel Mytilus trossulus Induced by Different-Sized Plastics

Researchers exposed mussels to both tiny polystyrene microparticles and larger polyethylene plastic fragments and found that both sizes triggered oxidative stress in the animals. The plastic exposure caused DNA damage, weakened cellular membranes, and destabilized immune cell structures in the mussels' gills and digestive glands. The findings indicate that plastics of any size and polymer type can be harmful to marine filter-feeding organisms.

2024 Journal of Xenobiotics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollutants bioavailability and toxicological risk from microplastics to marine mussels

Researchers tested whether polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics could absorb the pollutant pyrene from water and then transfer it to marine mussels. They found that both types of microplastics readily absorbed pyrene and that mussels exposed to contaminated microplastics showed increased levels of the pollutant in their tissues along with signs of cellular stress. The study provides direct evidence that microplastics can act as carriers of harmful chemicals into the bodies of filter-feeding marine organisms.

2015 Environmental Pollution 1335 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics in the Clam Scrobicularia plana

Researchers exposed clams to low-density polyethylene microplastics that had been pre-contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and measured ecotoxicological effects including oxidative stress and genotoxicity. The study found that microplastics carrying adsorbed chemical contaminants caused greater biological damage than clean microplastics alone, suggesting that the pollutant-carrier role of microplastics amplifies their environmental impact on bivalves.

2018 Frontiers in Marine Science 206 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular and tissue-level responses of mussels (Mytilus edulis) to aged polyethylene terephthalate (PET) micro- and nanoplastic particles

This study exposed mussels to environmentally realistic concentrations of aged PET micro- and nanoplastics and found measurable cellular damage even at the lowest doses tested. The plastic particles caused inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue changes in the mussels' digestive systems. Since mussels are a common seafood and are often eaten whole, these findings are relevant to understanding human microplastic exposure through shellfish consumption.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of high-density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics pollutants: Uptake, elimination and effects in mussel

Researchers compared the accumulation, elimination, and biological effects of high-density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics in mussels. Both types accumulated primarily in the digestive gland and gills and induced oxidative stress, though most particles were cleared after 144 hours of depuration. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the two polymers affected mussel metabolism differently, with polyethylene showing increased effects even during the elimination period.

2021 Marine Environmental Research 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics-exposure experience aggravates the accumulation of diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) in thick-shell mussel Mytilus coruscus through impairing detoxification processes

Researchers discovered that mussels previously exposed to microplastics accumulated significantly higher levels of shellfish toxins when later exposed to toxin-producing algae. The prior microplastic exposure impaired the mussels' ability to break down and eliminate the toxins from their bodies. The findings raise concerns that widespread microplastic pollution could increase the risk of shellfish toxin contamination in seafood consumed by humans.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics aggravate the adverse effects of BDE-47 on physiological and defense performance in mussels

Marine mussels (Mytilus coruscus) co-exposed to polystyrene microplastics and the flame retardant BDE-47 for 21 days showed greater immune suppression, oxidative stress, and energy depletion than with either pollutant alone, consistent with microplastics acting as a carrier that amplifies BDE-47 toxicity.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 104 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
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Impact of Chrysene-Sorbed Polystyrene Microplastics on Different Life Stages of the Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Polystyrene microplastics loaded with chrysene were found to impair early larval development and alter physiological markers in Mediterranean mussels, with chrysene-loaded MPs causing greater harm than clean MPs, demonstrating that sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compound the toxicity of ingested particles.

2021 Applied Sciences 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption behaviors of crude oil on polyethylene microplastics in seawater and digestive tract under simulated real-world conditions

Polyethylene microplastics can absorb crude oil from seawater, and once ingested by aquatic organisms, some of that oil can be released in simulated gut conditions. This suggests microplastics could act as vectors that concentrate and deliver toxic hydrocarbons to marine life.

2020 Chemosphere 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological effects of plastic particles on mussels are mediated by food presence

Thick shell mussels exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (70 nm) and microplastics (10 µm) with and without microalgae food found that food presence mediated the physiological effects — microplastics reduced energy budget and increased oxidative stress markers most strongly when food was mixed with particles.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological risk of microplastics for marine organisms

Italian researchers studied whether microplastics act as vectors for chemical pollutants by measuring how pyrene and cadmium adsorb onto polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and transfer to mussels. They found evidence of contaminant transfer and cellular stress responses, raising concerns about the combined toxicity of microplastics and their associated chemicals.

2016 Università Politecnica delle Marche (Università Politecnica delle Marche)
Article Tier 2

Impact of environmental microplastics alone and mixed with benzo[a]pyrene on cellular and molecular responses of Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to environmentally collected microplastics from a beach, both alone and combined with the pollutant benzo[a]pyrene, at ecologically relevant concentrations. The study found that even short-term exposure caused cellular and molecular responses in the mussels, and the combination of microplastics with chemical pollutants produced different effects than either contaminant alone.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics on bioaccumulation and toxicity of dibutyl phthalate in Mytilisepta virgata

Researchers investigated how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect the accumulation and toxicity of dibutyl phthalate, a common marine pollutant, in mussels. They found that the type and aging state of microplastics influenced how much phthalate accumulated in the mussels' tissues, and that the accumulated pollutant persisted even after the exposure ended. The study suggests that while mussels can survive these exposures, they risk significant pollutant buildup and oxidative damage when microplastics and phthalates coexist.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmentally relevant levels of polyethylene microplastic on Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mollusca: Bivalvia): filtration rate and oxidative stress

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant reductions in filtration rate and signs of oxidative damage in the digestive gland. The study suggests that microplastics as small as 40-48 micrometers can disrupt antioxidant defenses in bivalves even at low concentrations, raising concerns about their impact on marine filter-feeders.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 99 citations
Article Tier 2

The sub-lethal impact of plastic and tire rubber leachates on the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to leachates from five plastic and rubber types (PP, PET, PS, PVC, car tire rubber) and found sub-lethal effects including lysosomal damage, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative stress, with tire rubber, PVC, and polypropylene causing the most severe harm due to higher metal and organic additive content.

2021 Environmental Pollution 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic in Mexican Coastal Areas Using Mussels (Mytilus spp.) as Biomonitors

Mussels (Mytilus spp.) collected along Mexican coastal sites were used as biomonitors for microplastic contamination, with plastic particles found across sampling locations and associated with elevated concentrations of adsorbed heavy metals.

2024 Environmental sciences 1 citations
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