Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The effect of climate change and microplastics on the physiology of marine invertebrates of economic interest

This thesis examines how climate change and microplastic pollution interact to affect the physiology of marine invertebrates important for aquaculture. Combined stressors were found to have compounding effects on organisms like mussels and oysters, threatening both ecosystems and food security.

2023 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
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

Molecular mechanisms controlling physiological plasticity in marine mussels under the influence of natural and anthropogenic stress factors

This thesis project investigated the molecular mechanisms that help Mediterranean mussels cope with environmental stress, including both natural factors and emerging pollutants like microplastics. Understanding these stress responses could help predict how marine shellfish will fare as pollution and climate change intensify.

2021
Article Tier 2

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This review examines microplastic contamination in coastal and marine environments, focusing on bivalves as sentinel organisms due to their filter-feeding behavior and widespread use as human food, synthesizing evidence on physiological damage across aquatic species and ecological risks from plastic particle transfer through food chains.

2022 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Systematic Review Tier 1

Monitoring water contamination through shellfish: A systematic review of biomarkers, species selection, and host response.

Across 20 studies spanning 14 countries, shellfish proved highly sensitive to minor environmental changes, with 26 species and 35 effect biomarkers identified, supporting their use as reliable bioindicators of water quality, though standardized monitoring protocols are still needed.

2025 Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics on bivalve mollusks: A bibliometric and scientific review

This review examines how microplastics affect bivalve shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams, which are important both ecologically and as human food sources. Microplastics disrupt bivalve feeding, growth, reproduction, and immune function, and can also carry other toxic pollutants into their tissues. Since bivalves filter large volumes of water and are often eaten whole by humans, they represent a direct pathway for microplastic transfer from the ocean to our bodies.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 86 citations
Review Tier 2

Influence of Microplastics on Freshwater Bivalves (Review)

This review analyzed studies on microplastic uptake, bioaccumulation, and biological effects in freshwater bivalves, which serve as both pollution sentinels and vectors for microplastic entry into food webs. The authors found consistent evidence for particle accumulation causing physiological stress, while calling for more standardized exposure protocols to improve cross-study comparability.

2024 Inland Water Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The stress-immunity axis in shellfish.

This review examines the stress-immunity relationship in shellfish, covering how environmental stressors — including chemical contaminants like microplastics — activate immune responses and affect shellfish health. Since shellfish are consumed by humans and accumulate microplastics from the water they filter, understanding how plastic pollution stresses these animals is important for seafood safety.

2021 Journal of invertebrate pathology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in coastal and marine environments: A critical issue of plastic pollution on marine organisms, seafood contaminations, and human health implications

This review highlights the serious threat microplastics pose to marine life and the millions of people who depend on seafood as a primary protein source. Marine organisms, especially filter-feeders like oysters and mussels, accumulate microplastics that can cause tissue damage, oxidative stress, immune changes, and behavioral problems. Since these shellfish are often eaten raw, any toxins they accumulate -- including microplastics -- pass directly to humans.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Progress on the Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Crustaceans: A Review

This review examined the effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans, finding that microplastics negatively affect life history, behavior, and physiological functions including oxidative stress, immune responses, and reproductive output across multiple species.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Pnw, Bivalves, and the Impact on Oceanic Ecosystems and Human Health

This review discusses how microplastics accumulate in bivalves such as oysters and mussels in Pacific Northwest coastal waters, how they move up the food chain, and why seafood consumers in the region may face elevated exposure risks. The paper synthesizes the threat to both marine ecosystem stability and human health from microplastic bioaccumulation in commercially important shellfish.

2023 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in commercially important seafood species

This review summarizes evidence that microplastic ingestion is widespread in commercially important seafood species including mollusks, crustaceans, and fish. Evidence indicates that microplastics can affect physiology, reproductive success, and survival in marine organisms, and may also act as vectors for chemical pollutants. The study highlights the potential for human exposure to microplastics through seafood consumption, though the full health implications remain to be determined.

2017 Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 266 citations
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 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
Review Tier 2

The Presence of Microplastics in Shellfish: A Review

This literature review synthesizes studies on microplastic presence in shellfish across global aquaculture and wild harvest settings, finding widespread contamination across species and highlighting ingestion during filter feeding as the dominant uptake route.

2024 Hydrogen Jurnal Kependidikan Kimia
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

Assessment of the impact of aquaculture facilities on transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Integrating plasticizers and physiological analyses as a biomonitoring strategy

Researchers assessed microplastic impacts on mussels transplanted near aquaculture facilities by integrating plasticizer analysis with physiological biomarkers, finding that proximity to aquaculture infrastructure increased both particle ingestion and chemical plasticizer exposure.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics\nAffect the Ecological Functioning of\nan Important Biogenic Habitat

This study exposed intact sediment cores containing oysters and mussels to microplastics and found significant changes in the diversity and functioning of the bivalve-dominated community, including reduced biodiversity and altered nutrient cycling. The findings show that microplastics affect not just individual animals but entire benthic ecosystem functions important for water quality and marine food production.

2016 Figshare
Review Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on freshwater bivalves (review)

This review synthesized knowledge on how microplastics affect freshwater bivalves, covering ingestion, tissue accumulation, physiological stress responses, and reproductive impacts. Bivalves are shown to be sensitive bioindicators of microplastic contamination in rivers and lakes.

2024 Биология внутренних вод 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on physiological performance of marine bivalves, potential impacts, and enlightening the future based on a comparative study

This review examines the effects of microplastics and their chemical additives on the physiology of marine bivalves such as mussels and oysters, including impacts on feeding, reproduction, immunity, and gene expression. Researchers identified significant gaps in the literature, particularly regarding the combined effects of microplastics with other environmental stressors. The study highlights that while individual studies show varied results, the cumulative evidence suggests microplastic exposure can alter key biological functions in these ecologically important organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

From the raw bar to the bench: Bivalves as models for human health.

This review explores how bivalves such as oysters, mussels, and clams are used as model organisms for biological and ecological research, including their roles as biomonitors for pollution. The paper highlights how the genomic tools now available for studying bivalves are advancing understanding of their responses to environmental stressors including microplastic contamination.

2019 Developmental and comparative immunology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics can aggravate the impact of ocean acidification on the health of mussels: Insights from physiological performance, immunity and byssus properties

Researchers found that the combination of ocean acidification and microplastic exposure weakened mussel immune systems, reduced feeding performance, and degraded the quality of byssus threads used for attachment. The study suggests that co-occurring ocean acidification and microplastic pollution could increase the vulnerability of bivalves to disease and dislodgement, threatening their survival in future marine environments.

2022 Environmental Pollution 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the interplay between environmental microplastics and salinity stress on Mytilus galloprovincialis larval development: A holistic exploration

Researchers studied how environmental microplastics and increased salinity together affect the early development of Mediterranean mussel larvae. The combination caused larval deformities, developmental problems, and changes in gene activity related to shell formation, stress response, and cell damage. These findings are concerning because climate change is altering ocean salinity in coastal areas where microplastic pollution is also heavy, and mussels are a food source that could pass accumulated microplastics to humans.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in commercially important edible marine bivalves: A comprehensive review

This review summarizes research on microplastic contamination in edible shellfish like mussels, clams, and oysters, which accumulate high levels of plastic particles in their tissues. Because bivalves are eaten whole including their digestive systems, they are a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human body. While microplastics do not appear to kill shellfish outright, they can harm their immune systems and reproduction, potentially affecting both shellfish populations and human consumers.

2024 Food Chemistry X 26 citations