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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Ingestion of microplastics and textile cellulose particles by some meiofaunal taxa of an urban stream
ClearMicroplastics accumulation in functional feeding guilds and functional habit groups of freshwater macrobenthic invertebrates: Novel insights in a riverine ecosystem
Microplastics were found across functional feeding groups and habitat types of freshwater macroinvertebrates in an Italian river, with collector-gatherers and sediment-dwelling species showing higher contamination, confirming that dietary and behavioral ecology shapes microplastic exposure patterns in invertebrate communities.
Automated μFTIR Imaging Demonstrates Taxon-Specific and Selective Uptake of Microplastic by Freshwater Invertebrates
Researchers used automated micro-FTIR imaging to quantify microplastic ingestion by multiple freshwater invertebrate taxa from field-collected sediments, finding taxon-specific differences in ingestion rates and selectivity for particle type and size, suggesting that feeding behavior mediates microplastic exposure.
Microplastic loads within riverine fishes and macroinvertebrates are not predictable from ecological or morphological characteristics
Researchers measured microplastic loads in riverine fish and macroinvertebrates and found that particle counts were not reliably predicted by species ecology or morphology, suggesting that individual variation and local environmental factors play a larger role in microplastic ingestion than feeding guild or habitat alone.
Quantifying and classifying microplastics and microparticles across aquatic heterotrophs from headwater streams in central Pennsylvania
Researchers found microparticle contamination across multiple trophic levels in remote forested headwater streams in central Pennsylvania, with secondary consumers showing the highest contamination rates and µFTIR confirming true microplastics at two of five sampling sites.
Distinct microplastic patterns in the sediment and biota of an urban stream
Researchers found distinct microplastic contamination patterns between sediments and aquatic biota in an urban stream, with sediments accumulating more particles while biota showed selective uptake based on particle size and shape, highlighting the complex dynamics of microplastic distribution in urban freshwater systems.
Microplastics in freshwater sediments: Effects on benthic invertebrate communities and ecosystem functioning assessed in artificial streams
Researchers tested the effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater invertebrate communities in artificial streams using environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that microplastics significantly reduced the abundance of deposit-feeding and grazing organisms by 31-50%, with chironomids and mayflies showing the highest ingestion of plastic particles.
Comparing effects of microplastic exposure, FPOM resource quality, and consumer density on the response of a freshwater particle feeder and associated ecosystem processes
Researchers found that realistic microplastic concentrations had minimal direct effects on freshwater particle feeders compared to the much stronger influences of food resource quality and consumer density on growth, survival, and ecosystem processes in stream microcosms.
Microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species associated with functional feeding traits
This study examined microplastic ingestion in marine mesozooplankton species with different functional traits, finding that feeding mode, body size, and habitat use are key predictors of plastic uptake across zooplankton communities.
Microplastics in the Ria Formosa Lagoon: Ingestion by marine invertebrates with different feeding traits and from different habitats
Researchers measured microplastic ingestion in four macroinvertebrate species from Portugal's Ria Formosa lagoon representing different trophic levels and feeding strategies, using KOH digestion and micro-FTIR identification of particles filtered on 5 µm silicon membranes. Microplastic type and amount varied significantly between species and locations, with elevated ethylene-propylene rubber concentrations near Faro airport suggesting habitat and behavior as key drivers of microplastic accumulation patterns.
Does the trophic guild influence microplastic ingestion in nursery areas? A case study on a southwestern Atlantic mangrove-dominated estuary
Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in ten fish species from a mangrove-dominated estuary in Brazil's Tropical Atlantic, finding plastics in 61% of 145 specimens. Zooplanktivorous species ingested the most (averaging 2.33 MPs per individual), with polystyrene and polypropylene dominating.
Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes
Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.
Feeding type and development drive the ingestion of microplastics by freshwater invertebrates
Researchers exposed freshwater invertebrates with different feeding strategies to fluorescent polystyrene microplastics of various sizes and found that all species ingested particles in a concentration-dependent manner. Filter feeders like Daphnia magna consumed the most particles, while feeding type and developmental stage strongly influenced ingestion rates. The study suggests that feeding strategy is a key predictor of microplastic uptake in freshwater food webs, and that younger organisms may be more vulnerable.
Do feeding habits influence anthropogenic particle consumption in demersal fish in a tropical estuary? A study from the northern part of the Tropical Eastern Pacific
This study examined how feeding habits and trophic level influence microplastic ingestion in demersal fish from a tropical Mexican estuary, finding that feeding guild and trophic position both affected the type and quantity of anthropogenic particles consumed.
Microplastics pollution in freshwater fishes in the South of Italy: Characterization, distribution, and correlation with environmental pollutants
Researchers investigated the presence, abundance, and polymer composition of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of freshwater fish from rivers in southern Italy, and evaluated correlations between microplastic ingestion and environmental pollutant levels. They found microplastics in multiple fish species, with fiber morphologies predominating, and identified associations between microplastic burden and co-occurring chemical contaminants in the sampled environments.
Uptake and accumulation of microplastic particles by two freshwater ciliates isolated from a local river in South Africa
Researchers found that two freshwater ciliates isolated from a South African river — identified as Paramecium and Tetrahymena — were capable of ingesting plain and fluorescently-labeled polystyrene microspheres. This demonstrates that bacterivorous protists can take up microplastics, with implications for trophic transfer in freshwater food webs.
Occurrence and Quantification of Natural and Microplastic Items in Urban Streams: The Case of Mugnone Creek (Florence, Italy)
Researchers monitored microplastic and natural fiber fluxes in Mugnone Creek, a small urban stream in Florence, Italy, over two years across dry and wet seasons, finding the creek transports significant microplastic loads to the Arno River and ultimately the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Presence of microplastics in benthic and epibenthic organisms: Influence of habitat, feeding mode and trophic level
This study examined microplastic occurrence in benthic and epibenthic invertebrates from the Western English Channel, finding that habitat type, feeding mode, and trophic level all influenced microplastic ingestion rates. The results suggest that bottom-dwelling filter feeders and deposit feeders are among the most exposed organisms in seafloor food webs.
Microplastics and leaf litter decomposition dynamics: New insights from a lotic ecosystem (Northeastern Italy)
Researchers studied how microplastics affect the natural decomposition of plant litter in a freshwater stream over four seasons, finding that microplastics had a small but measurable negative effect on decomposition rates and accumulated inside the invertebrates responsible for breaking down organic matter. These findings suggest microplastic pollution subtly disrupts the nutrient cycling processes that keep freshwater ecosystems healthy.
Assessment of microplastic accumulation in aquatic insects of different feeding guilds collected from wastewater in Sohag Governorate, Egypt
Microplastic accumulation in four freshwater insect families from an Egyptian wastewater basin found that collector-gatherers (Chironomidae and Hydrophilidae) had the highest microplastic loads and bioaccumulation factors, with polyester fibres dominant in all taxa studied.
Diet composition and plastic ingestion in Poecilia reticulata from urban streams
Guppies living in urban streams in Brazil were found to contain microplastics alongside their normal diet of organic matter and insects, with plastic particles ranging from tiny fragments under half a millimeter to pieces over a centimeter long. The presence of plastics across a fish species that sits low on the food chain suggests potential for microplastic transfer up to larger predators and, ultimately, to humans.