Papers

61,005 results
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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

Impact of polyester and cotton microfibers on growth and sublethal biomarkers in juvenile mussels

Researchers exposed juvenile mussels to polyester and cotton microfibers at realistic ocean concentrations for 94 days and found that polyester microfibers reduced mussel growth rates by up to 36%, suggesting that microplastic fiber pollution could harm marine ecosystems and threaten shellfish aquaculture.

2023 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and low tide warming: Metabolic disorders in intertidal Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Researchers exposed Pacific oysters to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics during a simulated tidal cycle and then subjected them to warming during low tide. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted the oysters' metabolism and made them more vulnerable to heat stress, with effects worsening over time even at very low particle concentrations. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may reduce the ability of intertidal shellfish to cope with rising temperatures.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 5 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 evaluated microplastic accumulation and effects in European flat oysters under controlled exposure conditions, examining how filter feeding concentrates plastic particles and whether ingestion impairs oyster health. Exposure resulted in measurable microplastic accumulation in oyster tissue, with effects observed on feeding behavior and physiological condition.

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

Are microplastics impacting shellfish?

Researchers investigated whether microplastic contamination measurably impacts shellfish physiology, growth, reproduction, and health outcomes, assessing the ecological and food safety implications of microplastic exposure in commercially and ecologically important bivalve species.

2024
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of salinity and polystyrene microplastics exposure on the Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas: Oxidative stress and energy metabolism

Researchers studied how salinity levels affect the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in Pacific oysters and found that low salinity reduced microplastic uptake but created complex interactions with oxidative stress and energy metabolism. Smaller microplastics generally caused more biological disruption than larger ones across all salinity conditions. This is important because coastal oyster habitats frequently experience salinity changes, and the findings suggest environmental conditions can alter how harmful microplastics are to shellfish.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Realistic environmental exposure to microplastics does not induce biological effects in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Pacific oysters were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene and polypropylene fragments for 10 days followed by depuration, with microplastics detected in tissues but no significant effects on clearance rate, tissue integrity, antioxidant defense, or DNA damage. The results suggest that realistic environmental concentrations of these larger fragments may not cause measurable biological harm to oysters.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and depuration of polyester microfibers by Crassostrea gasar (Adanson, 1757).

Researchers exposed the oyster Crassostrea gasar to environmentally sourced polyester microfibers at 0.5 mg/L and found accumulation in gill and digestive gland tissues, with evidence of clearance after a depuration period, raising concerns about microfiber effects on bivalve aquaculture.

2024 Marine environmental research
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

Effect of High-Density Polyethylene Microplastics on the Survival and Development of Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Larvae

Researchers found that high-density polyethylene microplastics negatively affected the survival and development of Eastern oyster larvae, a keystone reef-building species in the Chesapeake Bay, raising concerns about microplastic pollution impacts on estuarine ecosystems.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and depuration of microplastic fibers, fragments, and tire particles in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica: A toxicokinetic approach

This study examined the impacts of microplastic ingestion on the feeding behavior and energy budget of the marine amphipod Gammarus fossarum. Microplastic-exposed amphipods showed reduced food intake and lower assimilation efficiency, leading to decreased energy available for growth.

2022 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

The world is your oyster: low-dose, long-term microplastic exposure of juvenile oysters

Juvenile oysters were exposed to polystyrene microbeads at three concentrations for 80 days to test long-term, low-dose effects, with microbeads detected in the intestines of exposed oysters but no significant impacts on growth, body condition, or lysosomal stability. The study suggests oysters can tolerate chronic low-level microplastic exposure without major physiological harm.

2019 Heliyon 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Entanglement and ingestion of microfibers by the oyster pea crab Zaops ostreum, an endosymbiont of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.

Pea crabs living inside eastern oysters were found to both ingest microfibers and become passively entangled in them, suggesting that these endosymbiotic crustaceans are exposed to plastic pollution through their host oysters. Since these oysters are commercially harvested for human consumption, the findings highlight a potential pathway for microplastic exposure through oyster-based seafood.

2024 Marine pollution bulletin
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

Mucus Production as a Strategy of Oysters Against Synthetic Textile Microfibers

Researchers found that oysters exposed to synthetic textile microfibers responded by producing elevated levels of protective mucus in their mantle tissue. This mucus response represents a physiological defense mechanism against microplastic ingestion but may incur energetic costs to the organism.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Experimental ingestion of fluorescent microplastics by pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, and their effects on the behaviour and development at early stages

Pacific oyster embryos exposed to polystyrene microbeads showed increased developmental malformations at concentrations above 1 milligram per liter, and 3-day-old larvae exposed briefly to the same concentrations ingested particles in their digestive tract and showed reduced swimming speeds. The study highlights early larval stages as particularly sensitive windows for microplastic-induced developmental disruption.

2020 Chemosphere 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Minimal impact at current environmental concentrations of microplastics on energy balance and physiological rates of the giant mussel Choromytilus chorus

The mid-term effects of microplastic ingestion at current higher environmental concentrations on the energy balance of marine invertebrates were evaluated. At realistic environmental concentrations, microplastics had minimal impact on energy budgets, suggesting that current field-level exposures may not cause significant energetic costs for studied marine invertebrate species.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Microfibers Impact the Immune System of the Pacific Oyster

Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from Morro Bay Estuary were exposed to polyester microfibers and showed altered immune gene expression and elevated hemocyte activity, indicating that microfiber exposure triggers measurable immune system responses in commercially important shellfish.

2025 DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University)
Article Tier 2

Environmental and Sublethal Concentrations of Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induced Antioxidant System, Transcriptomic Responses, and Disturbed Gut Microbiota in Oyster Magallana Hongkongensis

Researchers exposed Hong Kong oysters to polystyrene nanoplastics at both environmentally realistic and higher concentrations. Even at the lower, real-world concentrations, the nanoplastics significantly altered the oysters' gut bacteria and gene expression patterns, while higher doses also triggered immune and antioxidant stress responses, raising concerns about food safety and ecosystem health.

2024 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 9 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

Oyster as sentinels of recent microplastic contamination: Insights from a transplant experiment

Researchers used oyster transplantation experiments to study how microplastics accumulate and are excreted in sentinel organisms under field-realistic conditions. The study found that bivalves can serve as effective biomonitors of recent microplastic contamination in coastal ecosystems. The findings help fill knowledge gaps about the dynamics of microplastic uptake and clearance in marine filter feeders.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

The influence of microplastics pollution on the feeding behavior of a prominent sandy beach amphipod, Orchestoidea tuberculata (Nicolet, 1849)

Microplastic pollution was found to reduce feeding activity and slow growth in a beach amphipod (small crustacean), even at environmentally relevant concentrations. This suggests microplastics can disrupt energy balance and population health in small invertebrates that play important roles in sandy beach ecosystems.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of Nanoplastics and Microplastics by Pacific Oyster Larvae

Researchers tested whether Pacific oyster larvae could ingest nanoplastics and microplastics, and what effects this had on their development. They found that larvae consumed plastics as small as 100 nanometers, and exposure to the smallest particles significantly reduced larval growth and survival. The study highlights that the earliest life stages of commercially important shellfish may be especially vulnerable to nanoplastic pollution in coastal waters.

2015 Environmental Science & Technology 588 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