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Changes in Microplastic Particles and the Biochemical Composition of Blood Cockles, Anadara granosa, During Five-day Depuration
Summary
Researchers subjected blood cockles (Anadara granosa) to a five-day depuration process and tracked both microplastic removal and changes in the animals' nutritional biochemistry. Depuration successfully reduced microplastic particle counts, but it also altered protein and lipid composition of the cockle meat, raising questions about the trade-off between contamination reduction and nutritional quality.
Depuration is a widely used post-harvest technique to reduce contaminants in shellfish. However, its effects on the nutritional quality of blood cockles (Anadara granosa) in the removal of microplastics (MPs) are not well understood. This study aimed to assess the changes in the biochemical composition of cockle meat during a five-day MP depuration process. Cockles were subjected to a controlled depuration protocol, with samples collected at day zero, three, and five for analyses of MP abundance and biochemical composition. Standard methods were used to determine the MPs, proximate composition (including ash, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates), and mineral content (Ca, Mg, P, and Fe). The results showed that the five-day depuration period effectively reduced the mean MP load by 71.6%. The process removed larger MPs and films, resulting in a higher relative abundance of smaller MPs (<500µm) and fibers. However, this process resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the biochemical composition of the cockles. By day five, the contents of biochemical composition had declined significantly. These findings demonstrate that while depuration is an effective process for reducing MP contamination in A. granosa, it decreases the nutritional quality.