We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Occurrence of microplastics in store-bought fresh and processed clams in Italy
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Compared to the large amount of data on wild samples, only a few studies reported microplastic occurrence in store-bought bivalves in which the production chain can be the main contamination route. Microplastic occurrence was herein investigated in 100 samples of store-bought clams sold as fresh or processed (vacuum-frozen or in brine) in Italy. A 10 % KOH was used for soft tissue digestion and FT-IR spectroscopy for polymer identification. A total of 135 potential microplastics ranging in size between 20 μm and 5000 μm were enumerated estimating an annual dietary intake via clam consumption of 59.472 microplastics/person. No significant difference in the average abundance between the two commercial conditions was observed, while a prevalence of smaller particles was detected in processed samples suggesting a detrimental effect of cooking during production. Polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS) were identified posing an overall low risk (class II). Microplastic occurrence in store-bought seafood requires additional and specific attention and future studies should investigate microplastic contribution linked to the production chain.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Contamination from Ready-to-Cook Clams: Implications for Food Safety and Human Exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in ready-to-cook frozen clams from commercial sources, assessing particle morphology, chemical identity, and polymer hazard index, and estimated average daily intake for consumers to evaluate food safety implications of microplastic contamination in bivalve seafood.
Methodology for microplastics quantification in clams
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a simplified methodology for extracting and quantifying microplastics from clam tissue, addressing the need for standardized protocols to assess microplastic accumulation in seafood that poses direct human exposure risk when consumed whole.
Assessment and Analysis of Microplastics in Commercially Sold Bivalves from Los Baños, Laguna, and Lipa, Batangas, Philippines
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from three commercially sold bivalve species (green mussel, Manila clam, and freshwater clam) purchased at Philippine markets, finding contamination ranging from 0.52 to 2.94 microplastic particles per gram fresh weight with fibers being the most common type.
Assessment of Microplastics Contamination in Commericial Clams in the Coastal Zone of Vietnam
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic contamination was assessed in commercially harvested clams from aquaculture farms in coastal Vietnam, a country where microplastic impacts on aquaculture are poorly understood. Both vertebrates and invertebrates in coastal areas were found to ingest microplastics, raising concerns about food safety in Vietnamese seafood.
The Global Spread of Microplastics: Contamination in Mussels, Clams, and Crustaceans from World Markets
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used a standardized method to analyze microplastic contamination in commercially sold clams, mussels, and crustacean shellfish from markets in Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, and South Korea. Microplastics were found in about 44% of the 190 samples, with less than one particle per individual on average, and crustacean shellfish had the lowest contamination per gram of edible tissue. The type of shellfish was a stronger predictor of contamination levels than geographic origin, and the data did not support bioaccumulation with animal size.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.