Microplastics Uptake and Egestion Dynamics in Pacific Oysters, Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793), Under Controlled Conditions

Microplastics debris (< 5 mm) are increasingly abundant in the marine environment, therefore, potentially becoming a growing threat for different marine organisms. Through aquatic animals, these can enter in the human food chain, and can be perceived as a risk for consumers’ health. Different studies report the presence of particles in marketable shellfish including the world wide commercially grown Pacific oyster Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793). The aim of this study is to examine the potential risk of microplastics entering in the human food chain through this shellfish species, investigating the dynamics of the uptake, egestion (faeces) and rejection (pseudofaeces) of microplastics in Pacific oysters under controlled conditions. M. gigas collected from a farm in the San Teodoro lagoon (Italy), were exposed to 60 fluorescent orange polystyrene particles L−1 of known sizes (100, 250 and 500 μm). The uptake of each particle size was 19.4 ± 1.1%, 19.4 ± 2% and 12.9 ± 2% respectively. After exposure M. gigas were left to depurate for 72 h, during which 84.6 ± 2% of the particles taken up were released whilst 15.4 ± 2% were retained inside the shell cavity. No microplastic particles were found in the animals’ soft tissues. The results of this study, suggest that depuration is an effective method to reduce presence of large microplastic particles, in the size range 100–500 μm, in M. gigas. Importantly, the data suggests that the burden that could theoretically be up taken by consumers from these shellfish is negligible when compared to other routes

Immunotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in different hemocyte subpopulations of Mytilus galloprovincialis

Plastic represents 60-80% of litter in the ocean. Degradation of plastic to small fragments leads to the formation of microplastics (MPs <5mm) and nanoplastics (NPs <1 mu m). One of the most widely used and representative plastics found in the ocean is polystyrene (PS). Among marine organisms, the immune system of bivalves is recognized as suitable to assess nanomaterial toxicity. Hemocyte subpopulations [R1 (large granular cells), R2 (small semi-granular cells) and R3 (small agranular or hyaline cells)] of Mytilus galloprovincialis are specialized in particular tasks and functions. The authors propose to examine the effects of different sizes (50 nm, 100 nm and 1 mu m) PS NPs on the different immune cells of mussels when they were exposed to (1 and 10mg.L-1) of PS NPs. The most noteworthy results found in this work are: (i) 1 mu m PS NPs provoked higher immunological responses with respect to 50 and 100nm PS NPs, possibly related to the higher stability in size and shape in hemolymph serum, (ii) the R1 subpopulation was the most affected with respect to R2 and R3 concerning immunological responses and (iii) an increase in the release of toxic radicals, apoptotic signals, tracking of lysosomes and a decrease in phagocytic activity was found in R1

Understanding How Microplastics Affect Marine Biota on the Cellular Level Is Important for Assessing Ecosystem Function: A Review

Plastic has become indispensable for human life. When plastic debris is discarded into waterways, these items can interact with organisms. Of particular concern are microscopic plastic particles (microplastics) which are subject to ingestion by several taxa. This review summarizes the results of cutting-edge research about the interactions between a range of aquatic species and microplastics, including effects on biota physiology and secondary ingestion. Uptake pathways via digestive or ventilatory systems are discussed, including (1) the physical penetration of microplastic particles into cellular structures, (2) leaching of chemical additives or adsorbed persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and (3) consequences of bacterial or viral microbiota contamination associated with microplastic ingestion. Following uptake, a number of individual-level effects have been observed, including reduction of feeding activities, reduced growth and reproduction through cellular modifications, and oxidative stress. Microplastic-associated effects on marine biota have become increasingly investigated with growing concerns regarding human health through trophic transfer. We argue that research on the cellular interactions with microplastics provide an understanding of their impact to the organisms’ fitness and, therefore, its ability to sustain their functional role in the ecosystem. The review summarizes information from 236 scientific publications. Of those, only 4.6% extrapolate their research of microplastic intake on individual species to the impact on ecosystem functioning. We emphasize the need for risk evaluation from organismal effects to an ecosystem level to effectively evaluate the effect of microplastic pollution on marine environments. Further studies are encouraged to investigate sublethal effects in the context of environmentally relevant microplastic pollution conditions

Potential trophic transfer of microplastics from marine to human food chain: preliminary study on commercial seafood from Tyrrhenian sea

The widespread distribution of microplastics in the marine environment has subsequently affected the aquatic biota including seafood for human consumption. An increasing number of reports document the ingestion of microplastics by fish species and their occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract (Efsa, 2016). Although demersal fish are usually eviscerated before consumption, both fresh and dried small fishes are often consumed as a whole (Renzi et al., 2019). This is the case of Engraulis Encrasicolus, a commercially important small pelagic fish species, which has been proposed as a small-scale indicator both of microplastic contamination in open waters and human exposure (Compa et al., 2018). E. encrasicolus (n.20 samples from the Tyrrhenian Sea) were collected. The gastrointestinal tract was removed and analyzed applying the microplastic extraction method, according to Avio et al. (2015) and Foekema et al. (2013). Then microplastic morphological and physical classification, andquantification analysis were carried out. Further FT-IR/RAMAN spectroscopy analysis should be carried out to identify the microplastic polymers of origin. As preliminary data, the application of the extraction method resulted in the efficient separation of microplastic from the organic tissues. Results showed the occurrence of fibers and plastic particles in the digestive tract of some fish samples.Seafood represents a considerable food vector for microplastic human exposure. Under the perspective of the human food chain, the microplastic trophic transfer and their bioaccumulation and biomagnification represent a serious issue to food safety (Efsa, 2016). Microplastics impact a high proportion of the wild E. encrasicolus caught in the Mediterranean Sea and their occurrence may be found also in other tissues than stomach contents. E. Encrasicolus as selective feeders specie may ingest microplastics as prey (Compa et al., 2018). Considering that anchovies composing the main diet for pelagic predators in the Mediterranean Sea, and their relevance for human consumption, further studies targeting levels of litter and microplastics in natural stocks are essential (Renzi et al., 2019). Traceability of the fate of microplastic in contaminated seafood is essential to assess their bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the marine habitat and the potential trophic transfer from marine to the human food chain

Holistic Approach to the Marine Microplastics: Sampling, Characterization, Consequences

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Microplastics and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Occurrence in a Demersal Fish (Solea solea) in the Adriatic Sea

none8In recent years, microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants ubiquitously present in all the compartments of the aquatic ecosystem from surface water to benthic sediment, including aquatic biota. In the aquatic system, MPs pose serious hazards to marine organisms, causing damage by contact, ingestion and uptake. Evidence of MPs ingestion is well documented in marine organisms and harmful consequences of MPs to biota may also derive from the possible transfer of chemicals associated to the plastic debris, especially persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To date, many studies are focusing on the interaction between MPs and POPs, concerning sorption processes and competitive behaviour of chemicals onto MPs, however most of them are experimental studies and very few field studies have been carried out on wild organisms. In the present field study, the most commonly found plastic polymers (polyvinyl chloride [PVC], polypropylene [PP], polyethylene [PE], polyester [PET] and polyamide [PA]) and PAH congeners (phenanthrene [Phe], fluoranthene [Flu] and pyrene [Py]) were analysed in wild sole (Solea solea) caught in the Adriatic Sea. MPs were evaluated in the gastrointestinal tract of the fish, while PAHs were evaluated in sediments and several fish tissues (gills, liver and fillet).noneFrapiccini, Emanuela; Pellini, Giulio; Gomiero, Alessio; Scarcella, Giuseppe; Guicciardi, Stefano; Annibaldi, Anna; Betti, Mattia; Marini, MauroFrapiccini, Emanuela; Pellini, Giulio; Gomiero, Alessio; Scarcella, Giuseppe; Guicciardi, Stefano; Annibaldi, Anna; Betti, Mattia; Marini, Maur

Microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occurrence in a demersal fish (Solea solea) in Northern Adriatic Sea.

In recent years, microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants ubiquitously present in all the compartments of the aquatic ecosystem from surface water to benthic sediment, including aquatic biota. In the aquatic system, MPs pose serious hazards to marine organisms, causing damage by contact, ingestion and uptake. Evidence of MPs ingestion is well documented in marine organisms and harmful consequences of MPs to biota may also derive from the possible transfer of chemicals associated to the plastic debris, especially persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To date, many studies are focusing on the interaction between MPs and POPs, concerning sorption processes and competitive behaviour of chemicals onto MPs, however most of them are experimental studies and very few field studies have been carried out on wild organisms. In the present field study, the most commonly found plastic polymers (polyvinyl chloride [PVC], polypropylene [PP], polyethylene [PE], polyester [PET] and polyamide [PA]) and PAH congeners (phenanthrene [Phe], fluoranthene [Flu] and pyrene [Py]) were analysed in wild sole (Solea solea) caught in the Adriatic Sea. MPs were evaluated in the gastrointestinal tract of the fish, while PAHs were evaluated in sediments and several fish tissues (gills, liver and fillet)