A Comparative Assessment of the Chronic Effects of Micro- and Nano-Plastics on the Physiology of the Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 11; no. 3; p. 649
• Main Authors: Capolupo, Marco, Valbonesi, Paola, Fabbri, Elena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 07.03.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Biomarkers; Catalase; Chronic effects; Contamination; Data integration; Detoxification; Expert systems; Exposure; Gene expression; Gills; Glutathione; Glutathione transferase; Hemocytes; Immunology; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Lysozyme; marine bivalves; Marine organisms; Marine pollution; Microplastics; Mollusks; Mussels; Mytilus galloprovincialis; nano-fragmentation; Oxidative stress; Parameters; Peroxidation; Phagocytosis; Physiology; Plastics; Polystyrene; Polystyrene resins; Italy; nano-fragmentation; biomarkers; marine bivalves; polystyrene
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano11030649

The ocean contamination caused by micro- and nano-sized plastics is a matter of increasing concern regarding their potential effects on marine organisms. This study compared the effects of a 21-day exposure to 1.5, 15, and 150 ng/L of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MP, 3-µm) and nanoplastics (PS-NP, 50-nm) on a suite of biomarkers measured in the Mediterranean mussel . Endpoints encompassed immunological/lysosomal responses, oxidative stress/detoxification parameters, and neurotoxicological markers. Compared to PS-MP, PS-NP induced higher effects on lysosomal parameters of general stress. Exposures to both particle sizes increased lipid peroxidation and catalase activity in gills; PS-NP elicited greater effects on the phase-II metabolism enzyme glutathione S-transferase and on lysozyme activity, while only PS-MP inhibited the hemocyte phagocytosis, suggesting a major role of PS particle size in modulating immunological/detoxification pathways. A decreased acetylcholinesterase activity was induced by PS-NP, indicating their potential to impair neurological functions in mussels. Biomarker data integration in the Mussel Expert System identified an overall greater health status alteration in mussels exposed to PS-NP compared to PS-MP. This study shows that increasing concentrations of nanoplastics may induce higher effects than microplastics on the mussel's lysosomal, metabolic, and neurological functions, eventually resulting in a greater impact on their overall fitness.