{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T13:41:13Z","timestamp":1768830073740,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]],"date-time":"2025-05-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747180800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"ASTRESS project","award":["ProID2024010013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ProID2024010013"]}]},{"name":"ASTRESS project","award":["FPI2024010075"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FPI2024010075"]}]},{"name":"Agencia Canaria de Investigaci\u00f3n, Innovaci\u00f3n y Sociedad de la Informaci\u00f3n (ACIISI)","award":["ProID2024010013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ProID2024010013"]}]},{"name":"Agencia Canaria de Investigaci\u00f3n, Innovaci\u00f3n y Sociedad de la Informaci\u00f3n (ACIISI)","award":["FPI2024010075"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FPI2024010075"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Microplastic pollution in the ocean is a growing problem. It affects the entire ecosystem and, therefore, the species that inhabit it. Plastics can be filtered or ingested by organisms, entering and negatively affecting individuals. Among the populations affected are crustaceans. In previous studies, fibers have been found mainly in the stomach contents of these animals, although other types, such as pellets, have also been found. This study examines the presence of microplastics in Cronius ruber, an invasive crab species in the Canary Islands, and investigates their potential links to nearby wastewater discharges. A total of 63 crabs were sampled from four beaches in Gran Canaria in 2021, and their stomach contents were analyzed through alkaline digestion, filtration, and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR). Microplastics were detected in 52% of individuals; the particles averaged 0.7 \u00b1 0.5 mm in length, with an average of 1.73 \u00b1 1.02 particles per crab. Fibers constituted 89% of the microplastics, with blue and black being the predominant colors. Rayon, commonly used in textiles, was the most frequently identified polymer (52%), highlighting the role of wastewater from laundry processes as a significant pollution source. Beaches close to unauthorized wastewater discharges, such as Anfi del Mar (n = 3) and El Puertillo (n = 32), showed the highest contamination levels, with a frequency of occurrence (FO) of microplastic particles of 67% and 58%, respectively. Playa de Las Nieves was the one with the lowest contamination level (n = 22), with a frequency of occurrence of microplastic particles of 41%. This is the first study to document microplastic ingestion in C. ruber, raising concerns about its ecological presence and the potential bioaccumulation of contaminants in marine ecosystems. Further research is essential to understand the long-term consequences of microplastic exposure on invasive species and their possible roles in pollutant transfer through food webs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15101420","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]],"date-time":"2025-05-14T10:06:52Z","timestamp":1747217212000},"page":"1420","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Microplastics in Cronius ruber: Links to Wastewater Discharges"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Sof\u00eda","family":"Huelbes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaci\u00f3n en Acuicultura Sostenible y Ecosistemas Marinos (ECOAQUA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Canary Islands, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"May","family":"G\u00f3mez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaci\u00f3n en Acuicultura Sostenible y Ecosistemas Marinos (ECOAQUA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Canary Islands, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7676-2066","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ico","family":"Mart\u00ednez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaci\u00f3n en Acuicultura Sostenible y Ecosistemas Marinos (ECOAQUA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Canary Islands, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7591-6254","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ra\u00fcl","family":"Triay-Portella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biodiversity and Conservation Group (BIOCON), Instituto Universitario de Investigaci\u00f3n en Acuicultura Sostenible y Ecosistemas Marinos (ECOAQUA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Canary Islands, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7674-4167","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Miguel","family":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Pleiter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5538-6161","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alicia","family":"Herrera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaci\u00f3n en Acuicultura Sostenible y Ecosistemas Marinos (ECOAQUA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Canary Islands, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e04709","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2020.e04709","article-title":"Plastic Pollution in the Marine Environment","volume":"6","author":"Thushari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124338","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2020.124338","article-title":"Aquatic Toxicity of Chemically Defined Microplastics Can Be Explained by Functional Additives","volume":"406","author":"Beiras","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rochman, C.M., Hoh, E., Kurobe, T., and Teh, S.J. (2013). Ingested Plastic Transfers Hazardous Chemicals to Fish and Induces Hepatic Stress. Sci. Rep., 3.","DOI":"10.1038\/srep03263"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2013.02.031","article-title":"The Physical Impacts of Microplastics on Marine Organisms: A Review","volume":"178","author":"Wright","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2013.10.013","article-title":"Ingestion and Transfer of Microplastics in the Planktonic Food Web","volume":"185","author":"Lehtiniemi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2016.09.025","article-title":"Release of Synthetic Microplastic Plastic Fibres from Domestic Washing Machines: Effects of Fabric Type and Washing Conditions","volume":"112","author":"Napper","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139391","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2023.139391","article-title":"Shedding Off-the-Grid: The Role of Garment Manufacturing and Textile Care in Global Microfibre Pollution","volume":"428","author":"Stanton","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2024.135290","article-title":"Global Microplastic Fiber Pollution from Domestic Laundry","volume":"477","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110967","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2020.110967","article-title":"Study of Plastic Pollution and Its Potential Sources on Gran Canaria Island Beaches (Canary Islands, Spain)","volume":"153","author":"Rapp","year":"2020","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"494","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2017.10.020","article-title":"Microplastic and Tar Pollution on Three Canary Islands Beaches: An Annual Study","volume":"129","author":"Herrera","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2018.12.422","article-title":"Organic Pollutants in Marine Plastic Debris from Canary Islands Beaches","volume":"662","author":"Camacho","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113072","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2021.113072","article-title":"An Annual Study on Plastic Accumulation in Surface Water and Sediment Cores from the Coastline of Tenerife (Canary Island, Spain)","volume":"173","author":"Reinold","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112450","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2021.112450","article-title":"Evidence of Microplastic Ingestion by Cultured European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)","volume":"168","author":"Reinold","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2018.12.022","article-title":"Microplastic Ingestion by Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias) in the Canary Islands Coast","volume":"139","author":"Herrera","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114434","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2022.114434","article-title":"Microplastics Ingestion and Chemical Pollutants in Seabirds of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain)","volume":"186","author":"Navarro","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112266","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2021.112266","article-title":"Microplastic Ingestion in Jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) in the North Atlantic Ocean","volume":"166","author":"Rapp","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2019.04.092","article-title":"Microplastic in Wild Populations of the Omnivorous Crab Carcinus aestuarii: A Review and a Regional-Scale Test of Extraction Methods, Including Microfibres","volume":"251","author":"Piarulli","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.4067\/S0718-686X2017000300059","article-title":"First Record of Microplastics in Stomach Content of the Southern King Crab Lithodes santolla (Anomura: Lithodidadae), Nassau Bay, Cape Horn, Chile","volume":"45","author":"Andrade","year":"2017","journal-title":"An. Inst. Patagonia"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5364","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6b01187","article-title":"Effect of Microplastic on the Gills of the Shore Crab Carcinus maenas","volume":"50","author":"Watts","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110686","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2019.110686","article-title":"A Baseline Study of Microplastics in the Burrowing Crab (Neohelice granulata) from a Temperate Southwestern Atlantic Estuary","volume":"150","author":"Villagran","year":"2020","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2015.05.001","article-title":"Ingested Microplastics (>100 \u039cm) Are Translocated to Organs of the Tropical Fiddler Crab Uca Rapax","volume":"96","author":"Brennecke","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2018.02.026","article-title":"Quantity and Types of Microplastics in the Organic Tissues of the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic Mud Crab Panopeus herbstii from a Florida Estuary","volume":"129","author":"Waite","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1002\/lol2.10137","article-title":"Effects of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Microplastic Fibers on Pacific Mole Crab (Emerita analoga) Mortality and Reproduction","volume":"5","author":"Horn","year":"2020","journal-title":"Limnol. Oceanogr. Lett."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.3989\/scimar.04551.17B","article-title":"Northernmost Record of the Pantropical Portunid Crab Cronius ruber in the Eastern Atlantic (Canary Islands): Natural Range Extension or Human-Mediated Introduction?","volume":"81","author":"Escribano","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Mar."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107949","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecss.2022.107949","article-title":"Relevance of Feeding Ecology in the Management of Invasive Species: Prey Variability in a Novel Invasive Crab","volume":"274","author":"Luque","year":"2022","journal-title":"Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marenvres.2018.01.004","article-title":"Perception of Faunal Circadian Rhythms Depends on Sampling Technique","volume":"134","author":"Escribano","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Environ. Res."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166923","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2023.166923","article-title":"A Nationwide Monitoring of Atmospheric Microplastic Deposition","volume":"905","author":"Edo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9175","DOI":"10.1021\/es201811s","article-title":"Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Woldwide: Sources and Sinks","volume":"45","author":"Browne","year":"2011","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118466","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2021.118466","article-title":"Production of Rayon Fibres from Cellulosic Pulps: State of the Art and Current Developments","volume":"273","author":"Mendes","year":"2021","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119163","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2022.119163","article-title":"Microplastic Contamination in Seafood from Dongshan Bay in Southeastern China and Its Health Risk Implication for Human Consumption","volume":"303","author":"Pan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134037","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2022.134037","article-title":"In Vivo Oxidative Stress Responses of the Freshwater Basket Clam Corbicula javanicus to Microplastic Fibres and Particles","volume":"296","author":"Esterhuizen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155459","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2022.155459","article-title":"Impacts of Size-Fractionation on Toxicity of Marine Microplastics: Enhanced Integrated Biomarker Assessment in the Tropical Mussels, Perna viridis","volume":"835","author":"Jong","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2013.01.046","article-title":"Trophic Level Transfer of Microplastic: Mytilus edulis (L.) to Carcinus maenas (L.)","volume":"177","author":"Farrell","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Crooks, N., Parker, H., and Pernetta, A.P. (2019). Brain Food? Trophic Transfer and Tissue Retention of Microplastics by the Velvet Swimming Crab (Necora puber). J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol., 519.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jembe.2019.151187"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142099","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.142099","article-title":"Microplastic Accumulation via Trophic Transfer: Can a Predatory Crab Counter the Adverse Effects of Microplastics by Body Defence?","volume":"754","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2018.03.110","article-title":"The Effects of Trophic Transfer and Environmental Factors on Microplastic Uptake by Plaice, Pleuronectes plastessa, and Spider Crab, Maja squinado","volume":"239","author":"Welden","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2015.06.051","article-title":"Microplastic Contamination in Brown Shrimp (Crangon crangon, Linnaeus 1758) from Coastal Waters of the Southern North Sea and Channel Area","volume":"98","author":"Devriese","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2275","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2010.08.007","article-title":"Plastic Ingestion by Planktivorous Fishes in the North Pacific Central Gyre","volume":"60","author":"Boerger","year":"2010","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127093","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2021.127093","article-title":"Occurrence of Microplastics in Commercial Marine Dried Fish in Asian Countries","volume":"423","author":"Piyawardhana","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119253","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2022.119253","article-title":"Color Preferences and Gastrointestinal-Tract Retention Times of Microplastics by Freshwater and Marine Fishes","volume":"304","author":"Okamoto","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19313","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-017-9621-1","article-title":"Release of Polyester and Cotton Fibers from Textiles in Machine Washings","volume":"24","author":"Sainio","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.01.175","article-title":"Amberstripe Scad Decapterus Muroadsi (Carangidae) Fish Ingest Blue Microplastics Resembling Their Copepod Prey along the Coast of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre","volume":"586","author":"Ory","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113706","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2022.113706","article-title":"Microplastics in Decapod Crustaceans Sourced from Australian Seafood Markets","volume":"179","author":"Ogunola","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/15\/10\/1420\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:32:44Z","timestamp":1760031164000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/15\/10\/1420"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5]]}},"alternative-id":["ani15101420"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani15101420","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]}}}