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Oysters exposure to plastics is concerning, particularly because these materials can accumulate and release metals which are then absorbed by the molluscs. According to a recent study published in the journal
Chemosphere, the combined presence of nanoplastics and arsenic affects the biological functions of oysters. This study was conducted by the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Québec City and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the University of Bordeaux in France.
The international research team chose to study arsenic, since it is one of the most common metals absorbed by the plastic debris collected from the beaches of Guadeloupe. Oysters easily accumulate metals from the environment into their tissues. We therefore wanted to test whether the combined exposure to nanoplastics and arsenic would increase the bioaccumulation of this contaminant, reported Marc Lebordais, the Master s student in charge of the research.
How do nanoplastics affect oysters?
New research published in the journal
Chemosphere considers the adverse effects on oysters resulting from the combination of nanoplastics and arsenic. Conducted as part of a collaboration between the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Québec City and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the University of Bordeaux in France, the study reports on the ways that the bioaccumulation of materials impact the biological functions of oysters. Oysters easily accumulate metals from the environment into their tissues. We therefore wanted to test whether the combined exposure to nanoplastics and arsenic would increase the bioaccumulation of this contaminant, explained researcher Marc Lebordais, noting that arsenic, is one of the most common metals found in nanoplastics on the beaches of Guadeloupe.
Research shows that the exposure of oysters to nanoplastics and arsenic, one of the most common metals absorbed by the plastic debris, could affect their biological functions.