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Seasonal Variation of Microplastic Contamination in Edible Bivalves (Green Mussels and Clams) from the Bay of Bengal Coast, Bangladesh
Summary
Mussels and clams from Bangladesh's Bay of Bengal coast were found to contain tiny plastic particles called microplastics, with more than twice as much contamination showing up in winter compared to monsoon season. Since these shellfish are commonly eaten, this means people consuming them may be unknowingly swallowing plastic fibers and fragments too—a reminder that seafood safety and plastic pollution are closely linked. More research is needed to understand exactly how this affects human health, but the findings suggest it's worth paying attention to where and when your shellfish comes from.
Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly found more often in aquatic environments, and filter-feeding bivalves can ingest MPs, potentially exposing humans. To our knowledge, seasonal data on microplastic loads in edible marine bivalves from the Bay of Bengal coast of Bangladesh remain limited. Here, we measured the number of MPs contamination in the soft tissues of green mussels (Perna viridis) and three types of clams (Meretrix lusoria, Meretrix lyrata, and Tegilarca granosa) collected from the Bay of Bengal coast. MP load (items individual) was higher in winter than in monsoon for both mussels (54 vs 20 items individual) and clams (44 vs 19 items individual). Across species and seasons, MPs < 1 mm were most common, and the dominant shapes were fibers, fragments, and filaments; and the dominant colors were black, blue, and transparent. Polyamide/nylon (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene (PE) were among the most frequently detected polymers. These results show that there are high levels of MPs in the edible bivalves from the Bay of Bengal coast, which can threaten the seafood safety.