Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Do Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Microplastics Pose a Threat to the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica?

This study exposed eastern oysters to polyester microfibers at environmentally realistic concentrations for 45 days, finding that even low doses affected their physiology including feeding, growth, and energy use. The results suggest that ecologically relevant microplastic levels may pose a threat to commercially important filter-feeding shellfish.

2022
Article Tier 2

Quantity and types of microplastics in the organic tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii from a Florida estuary

Eastern oysters and mud crabs from a Florida estuary were found to contain microplastics in their soft tissues, with fibers as the dominant type, while water samples confirmed ongoing microplastic inputs from the surrounding watershed. The study documents microplastic bioaccumulation in both a commercially important bivalve and a key benthic predator in a US Atlantic coast estuary.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 184 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

Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.)

Researchers fed mussels pre-loaded with fluorescent polystyrene microspheres to crabs and detected the particles in haemolymph, hepatopancreas, ovary, and gills — demonstrating for the first time that microplastics can transfer naturally across a trophic level and translocate into the circulatory system of a predator.

2013 Environmental Pollution 1452 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation via trophic transfer: Can a predatory crab counter the adverse effects of microplastics by body defence?

Trophic transfer and accumulation of microplastics were studied in a predatory crab to examine whether predation from lower trophic levels contributes to microplastic body burden. The study found that the crab accumulated microplastics through both filter feeding from water and consumption of contaminated prey, suggesting that higher trophic predators cannot fully avoid microplastic exposure through dietary selectivity.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 182 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in wild populations of decapod crustaceans: A review

Researchers reviewed the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics found in wild populations of decapod crustaceans including crabs and shrimps. They found that fibrous microplastics smaller than 1 mm were the most commonly detected type, and that edible portions generally contained fewer microplastics than non-edible parts. The review highlights the importance of understanding microplastic contamination in commercially valuable crustaceans for both ecological and food safety assessments.

2021 Chemosphere 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics uptake and egestion dynamics in Pacific oysters, Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793), under controlled conditions

Pacific oysters were exposed to polystyrene microplastics under controlled conditions to characterize uptake, egestion via faeces, and rejection via pseudofaeces, finding that ingestion increased with MP concentration while pseudofaeces was the dominant clearance route. The study quantifies the dynamics of MP retention in a commercially important bivalve and highlights the potential for MP entry into the human food chain.

2019 Environmental Pollution 71 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 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

Ingestion and egestion of polystyrene microplastic fragments by the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas

Researchers investigated size-specific ingestion and egestion of polystyrene microplastic fragments by Pacific oysters, finding that oysters can ingest and later expel microplastics, with the process varying by particle size.

2022 Environmental Pollution 34 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

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

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

Microplastic contamination in filter-feeding oyster Saccostrea cuccullata: Novel insights in a marine ecosystem

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the filter-feeding oyster Saccostrea cuccullata collected from five coastal sites. They found microplastics present in all oyster specimens, with fibers and fragments being the most common types detected. The study highlights how filter-feeding shellfish can accumulate microplastics from surrounding waters, raising concerns about contamination in marine food chains.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 36 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

Novel microplastic dosing approach of shellfish prey reveals highly efficient egestion rates by predatory crabs under environmentally realistic feeding scenarios

Researchers developed a novel method for dosing shellfish prey with microplastics under environmentally realistic conditions and then fed the contaminated prey to predatory crabs. They found that the crabs egested microplastic fibers with high efficiency, suggesting limited tissue accumulation through trophic transfer under these conditions. The study highlights the importance of using realistic exposure methods when assessing microplastic transfer through marine food webs.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 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

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

Ingestion of Plastic Microfibers by the Crab Carcinus maenas and Its Effect on Food Consumption and Energy Balance

Researchers fed polypropylene rope microfibers to the shore crab Carcinus maenas and found that fibers were retained in the gut for extended periods and reduced energy consumption — a measure of metabolic impact. The study is one of the first to demonstrate that fiber-shaped microplastics, not just spherical particles, can impair physiological function in a commercially important crustacean.

2015 Environmental Science & Technology 502 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 assessed microplastic exposure, accumulation, and depuration in European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis), a species of conservation and aquaculture interest. Oysters accumulated microplastics efficiently and required extended depuration periods to substantially reduce body burdens, with implications for food safety.

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

Do Polystyrene Beads Contribute to Accumulation of Methylmercury in Oysters?

Researchers studied whether polystyrene microplastic beads contribute to methylmercury bioaccumulation in oysters (Crassostrea gigas), examining the sorption of methylmercury onto plastic beads and evaluating whether ingestion of contaminated beads elevated mercury levels in oyster tissue.

2021 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Interrelationship of microplastic pollution in sediments and oysters in a seaport environment of the eastern coast of Australia

Microplastics were found in sediments and oysters in and around a major Australian seaport, with concentrations higher in port environments than reference sites and correlated with local shipping and industrial activity. The study demonstrates that seaports are significant local sources of microplastic contamination in coastal ecosystems.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 172 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Vibrio vulnificus and Microcystis aeruginosa co-exposures on microplastic accumulation and depuration in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Researchers studied how exposure to harmful bacteria, including Vibrio and Microcystis species, affects the ability of Eastern oysters to accumulate and clear out microplastics. They found that bacterial co-exposure reduced the oysters' filtration rates, causing them to retain more microplastics for longer periods. The study suggests that climate-driven increases in harmful bacteria could worsen the microplastic burden in commercially important shellfish.

2024 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in benthic macroinvertebrates along the Kenyan coast

This study found microplastics in an oyster species and three crab species collected along the Kenyan coast, with fibers being the dominant particle type. The detection of microplastics in common coastal invertebrates in Kenya raises concerns about human exposure through traditional seafood consumption in East African coastal communities.

2020 African Journal of Marine Science 31 citations