Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in a freshwater mussel (Anodonta anatina) in Northern Europe

Researchers confirmed microplastic occurrence in the freshwater duck mussel Anodonta anatina in a Swedish river, finding microplastics in all mussels examined with higher concentrations downstream of urban wastewater treatment plants compared to a rural upstream location.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 107 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

Efficacy of freshwater pearl mussel (Lamellidens marginalis) as a biomonitoring tool for assessing microplastic pollution

Laboratory experiments showed that freshwater pearl mussels readily ingested microplastic particles, which then accumulated in their organs and tissues and caused measurable histological damage. This is relevant because freshwater mussels are widely used as biomonitors of water quality, and the findings confirm they can serve as indicators of microplastic pollution while also showing that this pollution harms them.

2023 Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and Toxicity of Polystyrene Microplastics in Freshwater Bivalves

Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in the freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha using polystyrene spheres of various sizes. They found that mussels rapidly ingested microplastics and that body burden was influenced by exposure time, body size, food abundance, and microplastic concentration, providing important baseline data on how freshwater bivalves interact with microplastic pollution.

2021 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 85 citations
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

Microplastics, Additives, and Plasticizers in Freshwater Bivalves: Preliminary Research of Biomonitoring

Freshwater mussels (Anodonta cygnea) deployed in three Italian rivers accumulated microplastics primarily in their gills and digestive tracts, with polyamide (nylon) fibers being the most common type found. The study also detected plasticizers and additives within the bivalves, demonstrating that these organisms can serve as effective sentinels for monitoring the full chemical footprint of plastic pollution in river systems.

2023 Preprints.org 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying Effects and Ingestion of Several Pristine Microplastics in Two Early Life Stages of Freshwater Mussels

Researchers tested whether several types of pristine microplastics harm two early life stages of freshwater mussels, species that are already imperiled in North America. The study found no acute toxicity to larvae or juveniles from any of the plastics tested, though the mussels did ingest the particles in a concentration-dependent manner and were able to expel them during a depuration period.

2024 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking the microplastic pollution in the freshwater environments of southeastern Türkiye: Usage of Unio delicatus, Unio Terminalis and Dreissena polymorpha as bioindicators of microplastics

This study examined microplastic contamination in three freshwater mussel species collected from rivers and a dam lake in southeastern Turkey, finding relatively low average concentrations (under 1 microplastic per individual) but confirming that these mussels do accumulate plastic particles from their surroundings. Because mussels are filter feeders with a fixed lifestyle, they reflect local pollution levels well, making them useful sentinels for tracking microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems. The research adds to growing evidence that microplastics are now present even in inland freshwater species far from the ocean.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 1 citations
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

Accumulation of microplastics in the bivalve mollusc Unio tumidus under experimental and field exposures

Researchers found that the freshwater bivalve Unio tumidus accumulates microplastics in its tissues under both laboratory and field conditions, with accumulation rates dependent on particle concentration and exposure duration, confirming this species as a viable biomonitor for freshwater MP pollution.

2022 Studia Biologica 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the Effects of Environmental Concentrations of Microplastics on the Aquatic Snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Researchers examined the effects of environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations on the freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, assessing impacts on this benthic invertebrate in an understudied freshwater ecosystem context.

2021 Water Air & Soil Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic intake of Unio mancus Lamarck 1819 collected from Ataturk Dam Lake, Türkiye

Researchers examined microplastic intake in the freshwater bivalve Unio mancus collected from Ataturk Dam Lake in Turkey, characterizing the size, shape, and polymer composition of microplastic particles and fibers ingested by the mussels. The study documented microplastic contamination in this dam lake population, contributing to understanding of freshwater bivalve exposure to plastic pollution in Turkish inland water systems.

2023 TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 4 citations
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

Assessing the relationship between the abundance and properties of microplastics in water and in mussels

Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic levels in coastal waters and in mussels at 25 sites along China's coastline. They found a strong positive correlation, meaning that mussels in more polluted waters contained more microplastics, and that mussels preferentially ingested smaller particles. The study supports the use of mussels as biological indicators for monitoring microplastic contamination in marine environments.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 459 citations
Article Tier 2

A taste of plastic - quantifying micro- and nanoplastic ingestion and interactions with feeding in daphnia magna (E)

This study developed quantitative methods for measuring microplastic and nanoplastic ingestion by freshwater organisms, applying them to mussels and other invertebrates. The analytical approach helps address a key gap in freshwater microplastic research, where most studies have been qualitative rather than quantitative in assessing organism exposure.

2017 Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU)
Article Tier 2

Uptake and Retention of Nanoplastics in Quagga Mussels

Experiments tested whether the invasive freshwater mussel Dreissena bugensis (quagga mussel) takes up and retains nanoplastics, finding that the mussels ingested and retained nano-sized plastic particles in their tissues after exposure. Quagga mussels, already widely distributed in North American and European waterways, could serve as both sentinels for nanoplastic monitoring and vectors for nanoplastic entry into food webs.

2019 Global Challenges 69 citations
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
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of uptake and chronic toxicity of virgin polystyrene microbeads in freshwater zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

Researchers evaluated the uptake and chronic toxicity of virgin polystyrene microbeads in freshwater zebra mussels over an extended exposure period. The study found that mussels ingested and accumulated the particles, and higher concentrations induced measurable changes in cellular biomarkers and filtration behavior, suggesting that chronic microplastic exposure can affect the physiology of freshwater bivalves.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 281 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of environmental microplastics in different tissues of indigenous freshwater bivalves (Unio spp.): a case study from the Sejenane River in Northern Tunisia

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three species of freshwater mussels from a river in Northern Tunisia, analyzing particles in gill and digestive gland tissues. They found microplastics present in all species, suggesting these filter-feeding bivalves accumulate particles from their environment. The study demonstrates that freshwater mussels can serve as effective biological indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution in river ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastics exposure on copepod (Eurytemora affinis) and mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota

Researchers studied how microplastic exposure affects the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mussel Mytilus edulis, examining effects on feeding, reproduction, and overall health at relevant environmental concentrations. Results showed microplastics impaired physiological functions in both species, with additional risks from microorganism-colonized plastic surfaces.

2024 Open MIND
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in market bivalves from South Korea

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene microplastics on the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna, a key species in aquatic food webs. They found that microplastic exposure impaired reproduction, reduced growth, and caused oxidative stress even at relatively low concentrations. The study highlights that these tiny plastic particles can harm small freshwater organisms that play a critical role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems.

2018 Environmental Pollution 475 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro and Nanoplastic Contamination and Its Effects on Freshwater Mussels Caged in an Urban Area

Researchers placed freshwater mussels at various sites around Montreal to measure microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in urban waterways. They found that mussels at rainfall overflow sites and downstream of the city center accumulated the most plastic particles, with nanoplastics correlating strongly with oxidative damage markers in tissue. The study suggests that tire wear and road erosion from stormwater runoff are important sources of plastic contamination for aquatic organisms.

2023 Journal of Xenobiotics 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the hidden impacts: A comprehensive review of microplastic effects on marine bivalves

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics accumulate in marine bivalves through their filter-feeding behavior, covering mechanisms of ingestion, bioaccumulation, oxidative stress induction, immune disruption, and growth inhibition, with implications for food safety given widespread human consumption of bivalves.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Using the Asian clam as an indicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers proposed the Asian clam as a bioindicator species for monitoring microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems, building on prior findings of high contamination rates in these organisms. Using a widely distributed filter feeder as a sentinel species could help standardize freshwater microplastic monitoring the way mussels are used in marine settings.

2017 Environmental Pollution 445 citations