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Uptake and Effects of Microplastics on Cells and Tissue of the Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis L. after an Experimental Exposure

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    Uptake and Effects of Microplastics on Cells and Tissue of the Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis L. after an Experimental Exposure
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    † University of Basel, Department of Environmental Sciences, Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland and Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
    ‡ University of Basel, Programme Man-Society-Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences, Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
    § Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Cell Biology and Toxicology, Chemical Ecology in Biosciences, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
    *E-mail: [email protected] (N.v.M.); [email protected] (A.K.).
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    Environmental Science & Technology

    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 20, 11327–11335
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    https://doi.org/10.1021/es302332w
    Published September 10, 2012
    Copyright © 2012 American Chemical Society
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    Abstract

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    In this study, we investigated if industrial high-density polyethylene (HDPE) particles, a model microplastic free of additives, ranging > 0–80 μm are ingested and taken up into the cells and tissue of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis L. The effects of exposure (up to 96 h) and plastic ingestion were observed at the cellular and subcellular level. Microplastic uptake into the gills and digestive gland was analyzed by a new method using polarized light microscopy. Mussel health status was investigated incorporating histological assessment and cytochemical biomarkers of toxic effects and early warning. In addition to being drawn into the gills, HDPE particles were taken up into the stomach and transported into the digestive gland where they accumulated in the lysosomal system after 3 h of exposure. Our results show notable histological changes upon uptake and a strong inflammatory response demonstrated by the formation of granulocytomas after 6 h and lysosomal membrane destabilization, which significantly increased with longer exposure times. We provide proof of principle that microplastics are taken up into cells and cause significant effects on the tissue and cellular level, which can be assessed with standard cytochemical biomarkers and polarized light microscopy for microplastic tracking in tissue.

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    Supporting information includes details on the LMS test; Figure S1 showing the scoring chart for the accumulation of unsaturated neutral lipids; Figure S2 depicting transport and uptake of plastic particles by gills; Table S1 showing the results of the fitted mixed-effects model. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

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    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 20, 11327–11335
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