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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Size-Based Ingestion of Microspheres and Microfibers by Two Freshwater Mussel Species (Dreissena bugensis and Elliptio complanata): Implications for Removal of Microplastic Particles from Aquatic Systems
ClearDetermining the Properties that Govern Selective Ingestion and Egestion of Microplastics by the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
Researchers examined how particle properties govern selective ingestion and egestion of microplastics by blue mussels and eastern oysters, finding that bivalves selectively process different microplastic types based on physicochemical characteristics and size.
Selective Ingestion and Egestion of Plastic Particles by the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica): Implications for Using Bivalves as Bioindicators of Microplastic Pollution
Blue mussels and eastern oysters were found to selectively ingest and egest microplastic particles based on size and composition, with both species showing preferences that differed from random ingestion. The selective behavior affects how reliably these bivalves can be used as bioindicators of microplastic pollution, since their gut contents may not proportionally reflect ambient plastic concentrations.
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.
Capture, ingestion, and egestion of microplastics by suspension-feeding bivalves: a 40-year history
This review examines 40 years of research on how suspension-feeding bivalves capture, ingest, and egest microplastic particles. Researchers highlight that bivalves can actively select among particles based on size, shape, and surface properties both before and after ingestion, a capability often overlooked in recent microplastic studies. The paper argues that understanding these particle-sorting mechanisms is essential for accurately assessing microplastic exposure levels, toxic effects, and the potential for trophic transfer to humans who consume shellfish.
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.
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.
Bivalves as Biological Sieves: Bioreactivity Pathways of Microplastics and Nanoplastics
This review examines how filter-feeding bivalves like mussels and oysters process and accumulate microplastics and nanoplastics of different sizes. Researchers found that larger particles pass through relatively quickly in feces, while smaller microplastics and nanoplastics tend to accumulate in digestive tissues and immune cells with longer retention times, making bivalves valuable bioindicators of plastic pollution.
Size-selective microplastic uptake by freshwater organisms: Fish, mussel, and zooplankton
Researchers assessed microplastic ingestion by organisms at different trophic levels in the polluted Susurluk River Basin in Turkey, including zooplankton, mussels, and fish. The study found that while no microplastic ingestion was observed in zooplankton, both mussels and fish contained microplastics, with size-selective uptake patterns varying across organism types.
Microplastic ingestion by quagga mussels, Dreissena bugensis, and its effects on physiological processes
Quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) ingested microplastic particles across a range of sizes and concentrations, with exposure reducing filtration rates, oxygen consumption, and reproductive output without increasing short-term mortality, indicating chronic sublethal effects on this invasive filter feeder.
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.
Size-dependent elimination of ingested microplastics in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Researchers measured gut retention time and long-term egestion of 1, 10, and 90 μm polystyrene microspheres in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, finding that smaller microplastics were excreted quickly but detected intermittently for up to 40 days, while larger particles were slowly excreted in bulk before disappearing.
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.
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.
Marine and freshwater mussels as biomonitors for microplastic concentrations: A comparative laboratory study
Researchers compared marine and freshwater mussels as biomonitors for microplastic pollution in a controlled laboratory study, evaluating whether these filter-feeding bivalves can serve as a complementary monitoring tool to sampling nets — particularly for small microplastics under 25 µm that nets tend to miss.
Particle shape does not affect ingestion and egestion of microplastics by the freshwater shrimp Neocaridina palmata
Ingestion and egestion of spherical, fragment, and fiber-shaped microplastics by the freshwater shrimp Neocaridina palmata showed similar rates across all three shapes, with particles retained in the gut for comparable durations regardless of morphology, suggesting that particle shape does not significantly modulate microplastic gut passage time in this crustacean.
Impacts of microplastic vs. natural abiotic particles on the clearance rate of a marine mussel
Laboratory experiments compared how mussels responded to microplastics versus natural abiotic particles (sediment, sand) in terms of clearance rate, finding that mussels reduced their filtration activity when exposed to microplastics but not natural particles. This selective behavioral response suggests that microplastics may interfere with the normal filter-feeding of mussels in ways that natural particles do not.
Morphology of the filtration apparatus of three planktivorous fishes and relation with ingested anthropogenic particles
Researchers examined the filtration apparatus of three planktivorous fish species and compared their feeding morphology to the types of microplastics they ingested, finding that gill structure influenced which particle sizes were retained.
The uptake of microfibers by freshwater Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) varies based upon physicochemical properties
Researchers exposed freshwater Asian clams to microfibers of different polymer types, sizes, and surface charges, finding that uptake varied substantially based on these physicochemical properties. The study highlights that standardized spherical bead models may not accurately represent how real-world microfibers interact with filter-feeding organisms.
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.
Where are we? Towards an understanding of the selective accumulation of microplastics in mussels
This review synthesizes published research on how mussels selectively accumulate microplastics, examining what factors such as particle size, shape, polymer type, and environmental conditions influence which plastics end up in mussel tissue versus being rejected. The study aims to improve the use of mussels as bioindicator species for monitoring marine microplastic pollution by identifying key variables that affect accumulation patterns.
Metabolic responses of the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis after exposure to microplastics of different shapes and sizes
Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to microplastics of different shapes and sizes and found that round particles and small fibers accumulated the most in mussel tissues. These same particle types caused the most significant metabolic changes, altering amino acid processing and vitamin pathways. The findings suggest that the shape and size of microplastics play an important role in determining how much harm they cause to marine filter-feeding organisms.
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.
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.
Interaction with two microplastic types by an adult freshwater mussel produces differences in ingestion and egestion patterns
This dataset accompanies a study showing that freshwater mussels interact differently with two types of microplastics, producing distinct patterns in how much plastic they ingest and how much they expel. Understanding these differences matters because bivalves are filter feeders that can either accumulate or help remove microplastics from water, with implications for both ecosystem health and food safety.