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Microplastics in commercial bivalves from the upper gulf of Thailand: Do location, season, and species ecology matter to human dietary exposure?
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Bottom-dwelling shellfish like clams and cockles from Thailand contained more microplastic bits than mussels or oysters that live suspended in the water, likely because they pick up more debris from the seabed. Some samples also contained a particularly toxic type of plastic (PVC), meaning where and what type of shellfish you eat may affect how much plastic you're actually consuming.
Evaluating human food safety risks from microplastics (MPs) in seafood should avoid traditional pooled composite sampling, which introduces an artificial 100% prevalence baseline and skews downstream risk assessments. To overcome this, our study utilized an individual-centric approach to simultaneously track MP detection rates (P, %), mass concentrations (particles g −1 wet weight), and abundances (particles individual −1 ) from oysters ( Saccostrea forskalli ), green mussels ( Perna viridis ), blood cockles ( Tegillarca granosa ), and Venus clams ( Paratapes undulatus ) across wet and dry monsoonal regimes in Chonburi and Rayong provinces, Thailand. Individual independent replicate digestions revealed higher baseline detection frequencies in benthic clams and cockles (65.0%) than in suspended-culture oysters and mussels (55–58%). Cockles and clams exhibited significantly greater mass concentrations and abundances, suggesting habitats affect consumer exposure probabilities. There was no clear seasonal variation in contamination, except that wild-caught clams had greater MP in the wet than dry season, revealing higher dietary risks for wet-season wild catches. Multi-metric dietary analysis demonstrated that annual Estimated Daily Intakes in Thailand were highest for cockles and oysters due to local consumption preferences. Acute single-meal (100 g) profiling revealed that clams and cockles had higher MP contaminants, followed by mussels and oysters. An abundance approach shifted hazard maxima to cockles due to smaller sizes. Chonburi bivalves contained high-toxicity PVC, resulting in the Polymer Hazard Index classifying Chonburi's benthic bivalves as Level III “Strong Hazard” while Rayong cohorts remained at Level II “Moderate Hazard”. Our multi-metric analysis indicates seafood safety relates to the interplay of species ecology, consuming seasons, and locations.
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three types of commercially harvested shellfish from Bandon Bay in Thailand across different seasons. They found that microplastic levels were significantly higher during the dry season, with oysters containing the most particles. The study suggests that seasonal conditions and proximity to fishery activities influence how much microplastic accumulates in seafood.
Microplastics in commercial bivalves from coastal areas of Thailand and health risk associated with microplastics in ingested bivalves
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Researchers measured microplastic contamination in four species of commercial shellfish from Thailand's coastline and assessed the health risk to consumers. Microplastics were found in 69-93% of the shellfish sampled, with fibers being the most common type. Based on local consumption patterns, the study estimated that regular shellfish eaters in Thailand could be ingesting significant amounts of microplastics, though the health risk was deemed low to moderate at current levels.
Microplastic Contamination in Blood Cockles and Mussels in Bandon Bay, Suratthani Province, Thailand
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Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in blood cockles and mussels from Bandon Bay, Thailand, finding widespread plastic particles in these commercially important bivalves and raising concerns about microplastic transfer through the seafood supply chain.
Microplastics in retail shellfish from a seafood market in eastern Thailand: Occurrence and risks to human food safety
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Researchers tested three popular types of shellfish sold at a Thai seafood market and found microplastics in all of them, with polystyrene and polyethylene being the most common plastic types. They estimated that Thai consumers could ingest up to about 1,178 microplastic particles per year just from shellfish. The health risk assessment rated the contamination at moderate to high concern levels.
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Scientists measured microplastic contamination in shellfish living in coral reefs off the coast of Vietnam, finding an average of about 5.6 microplastic particles per individual. Polyethylene and polyamide fragments smaller than 100 micrometers were the most common types found. Since bivalves are filter feeders that people eat whole, these findings mean that consuming shellfish from these reefs involves direct ingestion of microplastics.
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