Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Insights into the uptake, elimination and accumulation of microplastics in mussel

Researchers investigated how mussels take up, eliminate, and accumulate high-density polyethylene microplastics smaller than 22 micrometers. They found that mussels cleared microplastics at the same rate as similarly sized food particles, but smaller particles (under 6 micrometers) were retained much longer in the digestive gland. After six days of depuration, about 85 percent of ingested microplastics were eliminated, but 2 to 6 percent remained embedded in digestive tissue, indicating that small microplastics can accumulate in filter-feeding organisms.

2019 Environmental Pollution 163 citations
Article Tier 2

An assessment of the ability to ingest and excrete microplastics by filter-feeders: A case study with the Mediterranean mussel

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were exposed to spherical polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations and examined for tissue-level effects and ingestion/egestion dynamics, with smaller particles showing greater retention and histological changes in digestive tissue. The study provides detailed pathophysiological evidence that MP size governs both retention time and the severity of tissue-level effects in marine filter feeders.

2018 Environmental Pollution 157 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fiber uptake, ingestion, and egestion rates in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

Researchers used imaging flow cytometry to measure microplastic fiber uptake in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), finding that filtration rates dropped sharply with increasing fiber concentration, that 71% of fibers were rejected as pseudofeces rather than ingested, and that mussels may function as significant microplastic sinks in coastal waters.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 332 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics during uptake and depuration phases in a blue mussel exposure system

A controlled exposure system tracked the fate of polystyrene microplastic beads in blue mussels during uptake and depuration phases, showing that mussels accumulated beads in the digestive gland and that depuration cleared most but not all particles over 24 hours. The mass balance approach provides a rigorous method for quantifying microplastic retention in bivalves.

2018 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and ecotoxicological risk of weathered polyethylene (wPE) microplastics on green mussel (Perna viridis)

Green mussels exposed to weathered polyethylene microplastics for 30 days accumulated particles primarily in the intestine at higher concentrations, with reduced feeding rates at 3 µg/L but no mortality — while a post-exposure depuration period showed partial clearance from tissues.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and Effects of Microplastics on Cells and Tissue of the Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis L. after an Experimental Exposure

Researchers exposed blue mussels to high-density polyethylene microplastics and found the particles were drawn into the gills and digestive system within just three hours. The microplastics triggered a strong inflammatory response and damaged cell membranes, providing direct evidence that microplastics can enter animal cells and cause significant tissue-level harm.

2012 Environmental Science & Technology 1605 citations
Article Tier 2

Depuration kinetics and accumulation of microplastics in tissues of mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

This study tracked how mussels take in, accumulate, and eventually expel microplastics of different sizes over time. Larger microplastics accumulated more in the gills and digestive gland, while smaller particles spread more widely through the body. Since mussels are popular seafood eaten whole, understanding how they retain microplastics helps estimate how much plastic people may be consuming through shellfish.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Dynamic of small polyethylene microplastics (≤10 μm) in mussel's tissues

Mussels were exposed to a single dose of irregularly shaped HDPE particles (mainly ≤10 μm) followed by 7-day depuration, with particles accumulating in the digestive gland and gills over time and smaller fractions (≤4 μm) showing translocation from the digestive system to the gills. The study demonstrates that the smallest microplastic fractions persist longer and translocate to secondary tissues in bivalves.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanopolystyrene on the feeding behavior of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.)

Researchers investigated how 30-nanometer polystyrene particles affect the feeding behavior of blue mussels. They found that exposure to nanoplastics caused mussels to produce pseudofeces, increase total waste output, and reduce filtering activity, indicating that nanoplastics disrupt normal feeding processes in these organisms.

2012 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 531 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and characterization of microplastics in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis): protocol setup and preliminary data on the contamination of the French Atlantic coast

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in blue mussels from a study site, finding microplastics in a large proportion of sampled individuals and documenting the types and sizes of particles present.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 163 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Exposure to Microplastic Particles on Baltic Sea Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) Filtration Rate

Baltic Sea blue mussels were exposed to 1,000 microbeads per liter for six days, and the study found no significant difference in filtration rate compared to unexposed mussels. While this single concentration did not impair feeding, the study provides early baseline data on mussel responses to microplastic exposure.

2016 Lund University Publications Student Papers (Lund University) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Histopathological and cytochemical analysis of ingested polyethylenepowder in the digestive gland of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.)

Researchers examined the damage caused by ingested polyethylene powder in the digestive glands of blue mussels using microscopy and chemical staining, providing histological evidence of cellular effects. The study demonstrated that physical ingestion of plastic particles causes measurable tissue-level harm in the digestive organs of these widely consumed shellfish.

2010 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

Effects of food presence on microplastic ingestion and egestion in Mytilus galloprovincialis

The presence of the microalga Dunaliella salina as food significantly reduced egestion of polyethylene microplastics in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, with a single feeding episode preventing over 40% of MPs from being expelled over 24 hours. The finding suggests food presence causes microplastics to persist longer in mussel tissues, increasing exposure duration.

2019 Chemosphere 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Time-course distribution of fluorescent microplastics in target tissues of mussels and polychaetes

Researchers tracked the time-course distribution of fluorescent microplastics in mussels and polychaetes, finding that both organisms accumulated particles in digestive and gill tissues with distinct uptake and depuration patterns depending on species and tissue type.

2022 Chemosphere 25 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
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

Using marine mussels to assess the potential ecotoxicological effects of two different commercial microplastics

Researchers exposed marine mussels to polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics for up to 28 days to evaluate ecotoxicological effects. They measured feeding rates, condition index, and various biochemical markers related to metabolism and oxidative stress. The study found measurable changes in the mussels' biological responses, suggesting that these common types of microplastics can affect the health of filter-feeding organisms in marine environments.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle characteristics of microplastics contaminating the mussel Mytilus edulis and their surrounding environments

Researchers investigated microplastic uptake into mussels (Mytilus edulis) and their surrounding sediment and seawater at nine intertidal sites in southwest England, characterizing particle abundance, size, shape, and polymer composition across environmental compartments and mussel tissue.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 129 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and effects from microplastic (polyethylene) derived from toothpaste on blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

This study exposed blue mussels to polyethylene microplastics sourced directly from toothpaste and found that the particles caused physiological stress, reduced feeding activity, and elevated inflammatory markers. The results show that PE microbeads from consumer products can directly harm filter-feeding shellfish, raising concerns about human dietary exposure from seafood.

2016 DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingested Microscopic Plastic Translocates to the Circulatory System of the Mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.)

Researchers discovered that microplastic particles ingested by mussels can move from the gut into the circulatory system within three days and persist in the body for over 48 days. Smaller particles accumulated more readily than larger ones, suggesting that as plastic debris breaks down into ever-smaller fragments in the environment, the potential for it to build up inside living organisms increases.

2008 Environmental Science & Technology 2164 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles are phagocytosed in gill cells of deep-sea and coastal mussels

Researchers exposed deep-sea chemosynthetic mussels and coastal mussels to fluorescently labeled microplastic beads and identified gill cell types that preferentially internalize plastic particles through phagocytosis. The study showed that plastic uptake through gill surfaces is an important non-dietary route of microplastic exposure in bivalves.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of nano/micro plastic particles by the mussel Mytilus coruscus is size dependent

Researchers investigated how the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus ingests plastic particles of different sizes, ranging from 70 nanometers to 100 micrometers. They found that smaller particles were ingested in greater quantities and accumulated primarily in the digestive tract, while particles also translocated to the mantle tissue over time. The study demonstrates that plastic particle ingestion by mussels is strongly size-dependent, with smaller particles posing a greater accumulation risk.

2020 Chemosphere 124 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and effects of micro- and nanoplastics in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) larvae

Blue mussel larvae were exposed to 100 nm and 2 μm polystyrene beads and microplastics were found to remain inside larvae despite active egestion, with growth unaffected but the proportion of abnormally developed larvae increasing at the highest polystyrene concentration (282 μg/L). The findings suggest that early developmental stages of mussels can be harmed by microplastic exposure at concentrations relevant to polluted coastal areas.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 107 citations