Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic in bivalves of an urbanized Brazilian estuary: Human modification, population density and vegetation influence

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in oysters, clams, and mussels from a heavily urbanized estuary in Brazil, finding that industrial and port activities were stronger predictors of contamination than population density. Clams accumulated the most microplastics, and the study highlights how shellfish from polluted coastal areas can serve as indicators of the microplastic levels humans may be exposed to through seafood.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in ports worldwide: Environmental concerns or overestimated pollution levels?

This review analyzed microplastic pollution data from 78 ports worldwide and found that port environments can harbor significant concentrations of microplastics in water, sediment, and marine life. About 23% of studied ports had microplastic levels in sediment above the threshold predicted to cause ecological harm. Since ports are connected to fisheries and coastal communities, this pollution could affect both marine ecosystems and the seafood supply chain.

2024 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Are mussels accumulating trace metals and microplastics in port facilities?

Mediterranean mussels deployed at port facilities in Spain were analyzed for trace metals and microplastics, finding elevated contamination compared to reference sites, with both contaminant types reflecting local shipping and maintenance activities as pollution sources.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics monitoring in mussels and water from the port of sines, portugal

Researchers monitored microplastic contamination in mussels and seawater at the Port of Sines, Portugal's main Atlantic commercial port, over time to assess how port activities influence local plastic pollution levels. Mussel tissue and water samples both contained measurable microplastics, with contamination patterns reflecting shipping, maintenance, and industrial activities at the port.

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

Microplastics monitoring in mussels and water from the port of sines, portugal

Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in mussels and seawater from the Port of Sines, the main Atlantic-facing port in Portugal, assessing contamination levels in a heavily used industrial maritime setting. Microplastics were detected in both water and mussel tissue, with port activity identified as a localized source of elevated contamination.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Quantitative and qualitative determination of microplastics in oyster, seawater and sediment from the coastal areas in Zhuhai, China

Researchers quantified microplastics in oysters, seawater, and sediment along the Zhuhai coastline, finding 0.14–7.90 items/g in oyster soft tissue, 10–27.5 items/L in seawater, and 0.053–0.26 items/g in sediment, with polyethylene fibers as the dominant type across all matrices.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in surface coastal waters around Plymouth, UK, and the contribution of boating and shipping activities

Researchers found microplastic concentrations in coastal surface waters around Plymouth, UK ranged from 0.26 to 0.68 particles per cubic meter, with higher levels near urban estuaries and evidence that boating and shipping activities contribute to localized microplastic pollution.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 40 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

Microplastics in intertidal water of South Australia and the mussel Mytilus spp.; the contrasting effect of population on concentration

Researchers confirmed for the first time the presence of microplastics in South Australian intertidal waters and blue mussels, finding a contrasting relationship between human population density and microplastic concentration in this coastal ecosystem.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
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

Long-term trends of microplastics in seawater and farmed oysters in the Maowei Sea, China

Annual variation in microplastic abundance was tracked in seawater and farmed oysters in the Maowei Sea, a mariculture bay in southern China, over multiple years. The long-term monitoring revealed trends linking seasonal and anthropogenic factors to microplastic contamination levels in both water and shellfish.

2021 Environmental Pollution 84 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)
Article Tier 2

The relationship between microplastics in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and surrounding environmental compartments in Long Island Sound

This study measured microplastics in eastern oysters, water, marine snow, and sediment in Long Island Sound and found low overall concentrations, with sediment having the most plastic. Few polymer types were shared between oysters and the surrounding environment, suggesting oysters are not efficient indicators of local microplastic pollution despite being widely used as biomonitors. The results help refine what kinds of plastic particles reach seafood consumers versus what remains in the broader environment.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in the marine waters and sediments of Hong Kong

Seasonal surveys of surface water and sediments across four coastal locations in Hong Kong found microplastics at all sites, with the highest concentrations in the most urbanized harbor areas. This first comprehensive study of Hong Kong coastal waters reveals that even heavily trafficked port environments accumulate large quantities of microplastic pollution.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 355 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Saccostrea cucullata: a baseline study along the rocky shore in southwest area of Peninsular Malaysia off Strait of Malacca

Rock oysters (Saccostrea cucullata) from eight rocky shores along the Strait of Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia were analyzed for microplastic contamination, finding that 58.5% of detected particles were identified as synthetic polymers by ATR-FTIR. The study established a baseline for microplastic contamination in this sessile filter feeder along a heavily trafficked shipping route.

2024 International Journal of Environment and Pollution
Article Tier 2

The distribution and ecological effects of microplastics in an estuarine ecosystem

Researchers surveyed 22 intertidal sites and found that microplastic abundance, size, and diversity correlated with benthic microalgal communities and sediment biostabilization properties in an estuarine ecosystem.

2021 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Concentrations in Two Oregon Bivalve Species: Spatial, Temporal, and Species Variability

Pacific oysters and razor clams from Oregon were found to contain microplastics, with concentrations varying by species, location, and season. The findings have direct relevance for human health since both species are commercially harvested and consumed.

2019 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in Singapore’s coastal marine environment

This study documents the first assessment of microplastic prevalence in Singapore's coastal environment, finding synthetic polymer particles including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene in both beach sediments and seawater. Microplastics were detected at four of seven beach sites, with the greatest quantities found at two popular eastern beaches, likely linked to industrial waste disposal, recreational activities, and shipping discharge.

2006 Marine Pollution Bulletin 567 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in Manila clams and Pacific oysters grown at commercial shellfish aquaculture sites versus reference beaches in coastal British Columbia, finding that proximity to aquaculture operations influenced microplastic levels in both bivalves and surrounding sediments.

2019 Aquaculture Environment Interactions 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Oysters and mussels as equivalent sentinels of microplastics and natural particles in coastal environments

Researchers compared how oysters and mussels accumulate microplastics in a polluted Brazilian estuary and found both species performed equally well as biological monitors of contamination. Some of the highest microplastic levels ever recorded in shellfish were found at the most polluted sites. Since oysters and mussels are widely consumed as seafood, these contamination levels raise direct concerns about human microplastic exposure through shellfish consumption.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in marine environment: reworking and optimisation of two analytical protocols for the extraction of microplastics from sediments and oysters

Researchers improved existing protocols for extracting microplastics from both marine sediments and oysters, making the NOAA protocol more versatile and extending it to PET extraction. Validated extraction methods are essential for producing consistent, comparable data on microplastic contamination in seafood.

2020 MethodsX 40 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comparison of Methods to Quantify Nano- and/or Microplastic (NMPs) Deposition in Wild-Caught Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) Growing in a Heavily Urbanized, Subtropical Estuary (Galveston Bay, USA)

Researchers compared multiple analytical methods to quantify nano- and microplastic contamination in wild eastern oysters from Galveston Bay, Texas. The study found up to 200 microplastic particles in individual oysters, with polymer composition varying by location within the bay, and demonstrated that different detection methods can yield complementary information about contamination levels.

2025 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 1 citations