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Abstract Ingestion of microplastics (MP) by suspension‐feeding bivalves has been well‐documented. However, it is unclear whether exposure to MP could damage the stomach and digestive gland (gut) of these animals, causing ramifications for organism and ecosystem health. Here, we show no apparent effects of nylon microfiber (MF) ingestion on the gut microbiome or digestive tissues of the blue mussel,Mytilus edulis. We exposed mussels to two low concentrations (50 and 100 particles/L) of either nylon MF orSpartinaspp. particles (dried, ground marsh grass), ca. 250–500 μm in length, or a no particle control laboratory treatment for 21 days. Results showed that nylon MF, when aged in coarsely filtered seawater, developed a different microbial community thanSpartinaspp. particles and seawater, however, even after exposure to this different community, mussel gut microbial communities resisted disturbance from nylon MF. The microbial communities of experimental mussels clustered together in ordination and were similar in taxonomic composition and measures of alpha diversity. Additionally, there was no evidence of damage to gut tissues after ingestion of nylon MF orSpartinaspp. Post‐ingestive particle processing likely mediated a short gut retention time of these relatively large particles, contributing to the negligible treatment effects. 

In this study, the amphiphilic salt lithium trifluoromethanesulfonylimide octadecane (C18LiTFSI) was used as a basis to investigate the effects of anion density and cation coordination sites within blended electrolytes with strong ionic aggregation. C18LiTFSI was previously reported as a single-component, ion-condensed electrolyte with a wide layered liquid crystalline phase regime. Three additive molecules with varyingly sized polar sulfonyl groups attached to an octodecane-tail were synthesized and mixed with C18LiTFSI. The thermal properties, morphology, and ionic conductivity of the blended electrolytes were characterized. It was found that the blended electrolytes exhibited layered liquid crystalline morphology over a narrower temperature range than the pure salt, and the ionic conductivity of the blended liquid crystalline electrolytes were generally lower than that of the pure salt. Surprising, the additives were found to have the greatest effect on the bulk ionic conductivity of the semicrystalline phase of the electrolytes. Addition of minor fractions of methylsulfonyloctadecane to C18LiTFSI resulted in increases in conductivity of over two orders of magnitude at room temperature, while addition of ethylsulfonyloctadecane or isopropylsulfonyloctadecane with the larger head group resulted in decreased ionic conductivity over the entire composition space and temperature range investigated.