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Traceability as a tool for identification of microplastic pollution and healthy food in the Goro lagoon
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Researchers developed a digital traceability system for clam aquaculture in Italy's Goro lagoon that tracks shellfish from seed to sale while monitoring microplastic concentrations in sediments and animals. The system aims to give consumers transparency about product origin and lagoon pollution levels, linking food quality certification to microplastic contamination data.
Coastal lagoons are ecologically and socio-economically important because they provide valuable services. In Italy, the lagoon of Goro (Ferrara) is characterised by numerous shellfish farms, where the most cultivated species are clams. However, these environments are subject to various pressures, both natural, such as variations in temperature, nutrients and salinity, and artificial, such as the pollution caused by microplastics. Contamination of the sediments and thus of the animals reared on the sandy seabed is possible. As microplastics are an emerging contaminant and there is no limit to the amount of microplastics found in livestock, it is important to track the movement of livestock from seed to sale. Software is being developed to digitise all the steps along the supply chain, allowing consumers to know the origin of the produce, whose quality is judged by the amount of microplastics found in the sediments and in the animals. The result will be an assessment not only of the quality of the product, but also of the level of pollution in the lagoon where the clams have been farmed.
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Microplastic Contamination and Geochemical Tracers in the Goro Lagoon Ecosystem: Pathways, Fate, and Biota Interactions
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles everywhere in an Italian lagoon - in the water, mud, and inside clams that people eat. The plastic pollution was worst in the sediment and shellfish, showing these contaminants easily move through the food chain. This matters because it suggests people who eat seafood from polluted coastal areas may be consuming microplastics along with their meal.
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Researchers measured microplastic occurrence in store-bought fresh and processed clam products in Italy, detecting particles in all examined products and finding higher concentrations in minimally processed compared to heavily processed clams.
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Researchers studied microplastic contamination across three connected elements along Italy's Mediterranean coast: wedge clams, sediment, and seawater. Both young and adult clams contained microplastics, with fibers being the most common type, confirming that these shellfish accumulate plastic particles from their environment. Since wedge clams are harvested for human consumption, the study highlights how microplastics in coastal waters enter the seafood supply.
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Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic uptake in the wedge clam Donax trunculus from the Mediterranean Sea, characterizing the particles ingested by this commercially important bivalve species along Italian coastal beaches. The findings establish this species as a useful bioindicator for microplastic monitoring and raise concerns about human dietary exposure through shellfish consumption.
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