Cited by 1,413Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyToxic Organic Pollutants Impact

Pollutants bioavailability and toxicological risk from microplastics to marine mussels

Open access
Avio, Carlo Giacomo, Gorbi, Stefania, Milan, Massimo, Benedetti, Maura, Fattorini, Daniele, d'Errico, Giuseppe, Pauletto, Marianna, Bargelloni, Luca +1 more·2015·Environmental Pollution

Abstract

Microplastics represent a growing environmental concern for the oceans due to their potential of adsorbing chemical pollutants, thus representing a still unexplored source of exposure for aquatic organisms. In this study polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics were shown to adsorb pyrene with a time and dose-dependent relationship. Results also indicated a marked capability of contaminated microplastics to transfer this model PAH to exposed mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis; tissue localization of microplastics occurred in haemolymph, gills and especially digestive tissues where a marked accumulation of pyrene was also observed. Cellular effects included alterations of immunological responses, lysosomal compartment, peroxisomal proliferation, antioxidant system, neurotoxic effects, onset of genotoxicity; changes in gene expression profile was also demonstrated through a new DNA microarray platform. The study provided the evidence that microplastics adsorb PAHs, emphasizing an elevated bioavailability of these chemicals after the ingestion, and the toxicological implications due to responsiveness of several molecular and cellular pathways to microplastics.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.12.021

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  1. Canesi L., Gallo G., Gavioli M., Pruzzo C. (2002). Bacteria-hemocyte interaction and phagocytosis in marine bivalve. Microsc. Res. Techniq., 57 (6), 469-476.
  2. Initial phase on PCB, DDT and HCHs. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 58 (10), 1437-1446

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Authors
Avio, C. G., Gorbi, S., Milan, M., Benedetti, M., Fattorini, D., d'Errico, G., Pauletto, M., Bargelloni, L., & Regoli, F.
Affiliations
  • Marche Polytechnic University (IT)
  • University of Padua (IT)
Corresponding author
Regoli, Francesco
Venue
Environmental Pollution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-03
Volume
198
Pages
211-222
ISSN
0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2082582160
Cited by
1,413
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 87 · 2025: 125 · 2024: 174 · 2023: 176 · 2022: 189 · 2021: 195 · 2020: 176 · 2019: 93 · 2018: 97 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 12
FWCI
40.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Università Politecnica delle Marche (Università Politecnica delle Marche) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Centro Assistenza Ecologica ECOCAE
  • Italian Ministry for University and Research MIUR
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 › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
Keywords
microplastics, polyethylene, polystyrene, pyrene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Mytilus galloprovincialis, mussels, bioavailability, microplastic adsorption, tissue distribution, hemolymph, gill, digestive tissue, immune response, lysosomal compartment, peroxisomal proliferation, antioxidant defense, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, gene expression profiling, DNA microarrays, marine pollution
MeSH terms
Animals, DNA Damage, Gills, Oceans and Seas, Plastics, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Hazardous Substances, Risk Assessment, Bivalvia, Mytilus, Aquatic Organisms

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