20.500.12556/DiRROS-24899 Multilevel toxicity assessment of polypropylene microplastics and pyrene on mussels DNA damage, oxidative stress, and physiological effects Despite extensive research on microplastic pollution, combined biological effects of microplastics and associated pollutants on marine invertebrates remain unclear. We present an integrative assessment of polypropylene (PP) and pyrene, individually and in co-exposure, in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were exposed to 1 mg L−1 PP (~40 μm) and 50 μg L−1 of pyrene for 7 and 14 days, representing a scenario relevant to highly polluted coastal areas. DNA damage increased significantly in mussels exposed to pyrene or PP alone, but remained at control levels under combined exposure, suggesting an interaction that may reduce genotoxic potential. Lipid peroxidation remained stable across treatments, despite significant changes in antioxidant enzymes. Catalase activity increased in pyrene and pyrene + PP treatments, with tissue-specific trends, indicating enhanced antioxidant protection. Glutathione S-transferase activity was stable in digestive glands but significantly inhibited in gills after seven days under PP exposure. ETS activity increased in pyrene-containing treatments after 14 days, reflecting elevated metabolic demand after prolonged exposure. Respiration rate declined under PP exposure. Heart rate recovery time after the hyposalinity test was the slowest in the pyrene + PP group, indicating compromised physiological resilience. These findings reveal interactive, tissue- and biomarker-specific effects of PP and pyrene. Their combination suggested attenuation of genotoxicity but enhanced physiological stress responses, highlighting the complexity of pollutant interactions and importance of evaluating multiple biomarkers, tissues and pollutants. Presented data provide the first ever biomarker-based evaluation of PP and pyrene co-exposure, offering novel insights into microplastic-pollutant interactions and potential ecological consequences for marine invertebrates. mussels microplastics PAHs multi-biomarker approach co-exposure školjke mikroplastika PAH multi biomarkerski pristop hkratna izpostavljenost Mytilus galloprovincialis true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2025-12-23 15:15:56 2025-12-23 15:15:57 2025-12-24 04:01:25 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Soavtorji: Margareta Kračun Kolarević, Stoimir Kolarević, Tatjana Simčič, Rajko Martinović, Oliver Bajt, Gabriela Kalčíková, Andreja Ramšak; str. [1]-14 art. no. ǂ118880 Vol. 222 Jan. 2026 0000-00-00 PostprintKoncna Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2026-01-01 574 0025-326X 257760771 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118880 1 eca55587-e009-11f0-94a7-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=37268 RAZ_Mijosek_Pavin_Tatjana_2026.pdf RAZ_Mijosek_Pavin_Tatjana_2026.pdf 1 C1DC35E75F38D4C975F451C19E789874 bb33b4247949f09cfd3b5c75b8100754d9d8646b8011a0876fe89cd9985172c5 033600b2-e00a-11f0-94a7-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=37269 Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo 0 0 0