The DOI matches its Crossref record; 20 of the 20 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Trophic level transfer of microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.)
Abstract
This study investigated the trophic transfer of microplastic from mussels to crabs. Mussels (Mytilus edulis) were exposed to 0.5 μm fluorescent polystyrene microspheres, then fed to crabs (Carcinus maenas). Tissue samples were then taken at intervals up to 21 days. The number of microspheres in the haemolymph of the crabs was highest at 24 h (15 033 ml(-1) ± SE 3146), and was almost gone after 21 days (267 ml(-1) ± SE 120). The maximum amount of microspheres in the haemolymph was 0.04% of the amount to which the mussels were exposed. Microspheres were also found in the stomach, hepatopancreas, ovary and gills of the crabs, in decreasing numbers over the trial period. This study is the first to show 'natural' trophic transfer of microplastic, and its translocation to haemolymph and tissues of a crab. This has implications for the health of marine organisms, the wider food web and humans.
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In the citing paper
“It has been shown that organisms at lower trophic levels, such as micro‐ and macrozooplankton, can ingest microplastics directly, since the fragments match the size of their preys, and then the animals themselves can be ingested by their predators (Farrell & Nelson, 2013; Gouin, 2020).”
From Mixotrophic flagellate ingestion boosts microplastic accumulation in ascidians (2022) · cites this paper as Farrell & Nelson, 2013
In the citing paper
“Studies have also established trophic transfer of microplastics in natural-like laboratory settings [16, 27].”
From Modelling microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in the Galápagos penguin ecosystem using Ecopath and Ecosim (EwE) with Ecotracer (2024) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“While inferred within the literature (Farrell and Nelson, 2013; Nelms et al., 2018), trophic transfer of MPs and associated chemical additives in marine ecosystems is seldom investigated in detail (Miller et al., 2020).”
From Trophic transfer of polyester microfibres across a multi-level marine food web. (2025) · cites this paper as Farrell and Nelson, 2013
Citations
Cites
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
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“Further, there is evidence that particles may 557 even cross the gut wall and be translocated to other body tissues, with unknown consequences 558 (Browne et al., 2008; Farrell and Nelson, 2013; von Moos et al., 2012).”
BackgroundBergmann, M., Gutow, L., & Klages, M. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-16510-3 · Cited by 3,513
“Microplastics are available for ingestion by a wide range of organisms, and there are indications that microplastics are propagated over trophic levels of the marine food web (Farrell and Nelson 2013; Setälä et al. 2014).”
BackgroundEerkes-Medrano, D., Thompson, R. C., & Aldridge, D. C. (2015) · Water Research · doi:10.1016/j.watres.2015.02.012 · Cited by 2,638
“Benthic marine invertebrates that ingest microplastics include sea cucumbers (Graham and Thompson, 2009), mussels (Browne et al., 2008; Farrell and Nelson, 2013), lobsters (Murray and Cowie, 2011), amphipods, lugworms, and barnacles (Thompson et al., 2004; Browne et al., 2013; Wright et al., 2013a).”
BackgroundThe plastic in microplastics: A review
Andrady, A. L. (2017) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082 · Cited by 2,372
Metadata
- Authors
- Farrell, P., & Nelson, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Portsmouth (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Farrell, Paul
- Venue
- Environmental Pollution
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-06
- Volume
- 177
- Pages
- 1-3
- ISSN
- 0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2047003156
- Cited by
- 1,507
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 74 · 2025: 117 · 2024: 128 · 2023: 178 · 2022: 188 · 2021: 177 · 2020: 187 · 2019: 134 · 2018: 117 · 2017: 71 · 2016: 66 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 10
- FWCI
- 35.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- trophic transfer, Mytilus edulis, Carcinus maenas, polystyrene microspheres, hemolymph, tissue distribution, mussels, crabs, food webs, marine pollution
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brachyura, Environmental Monitoring, Gills, Hemolymph, Plastics, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Food Chain, Mytilus edulis
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