Microplastics: effects on oyster physiology at adult and larval stages

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.

Plastics are persistent synthetic materials, which can accumulate in the marine environment, although the consequences of macroplastic debris for wildlife are well documented, the impacts of microplastics (MP) on marine life are still largely unknown. In this study a chronic exposure of adult Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to MP, during two months, was performed under controlled conditions using a mix of yellow-green fluorescent polystyrene MP (2 and 6 µm). The distribution and accumulation of the MP in oyster hemolymph and tissues was monitored using histology and flow cytometry. Appropriate experimental conditions were designed to induce gametogenesis and production of mature gametes in order to test the effects of MP on oyster reproduction, gamete quality and subsequent larval development. Physiological perturbations in adults were assessed by measuring ecophysiological behavior, growth, defense mechanisms and reproductive allocation. These measurements would help defining toxic endpoints and to guide future studies on the effects of MP on Pacific oyster physiology.