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Microplastics in coastal farmed oyster (Crassostrea angulata) shells: Abundance, characteristics, and diversity
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Researchers detected microplastics embedded in the shells (not just soft tissue) of farmed oysters (Crassostrea angulata) off the coast of Taiwan, finding microplastics throughout the shell layers with an average abundance that showed diversity in morphology and polymer type. The discovery that microplastics can become incorporated into bivalve biominerals represents a novel pathway for plastic particle persistence beyond the organism's lifespan.
One of the most concerning emerging pollutants is microplastics (MPs), which can infiltrate soft tissues of organisms by ingestion, adhesion, and fusing and may even become embedded in biominerals. However, very little evidence is available about MPs in biominerals found in the wild. This study detected the abundance and characteristics of MPs in the shells of farmed oysters (Crassostrea angulata) off the coast of Taiwan and discussed the distribution, accumulation, and diversity in the oyster shells. The results showed that MPs were ubiquitous in oyster shells, with an average abundance of 0.70 ± 0.40 MPs/g. MPs abundance was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in small oyster shells (shell length < 6.5 cm, weight 5-10 g) and inorganic (CaCO) fraction (HCl digestion) than in large oyster shells (>6.5 cm, 10-25 g) and an organic fraction (HO digestion), respectively. However, there was no significant difference in MPs abundance between the top and bottom shells (p > 0.05). MPs with a size <2 mm accounted for 78.5 %, fibrous MPs for 93.7 %, and rayon for 89.5 %. The MPs diversity integrated index (MPDII) in oyster shells was low (0.27), and the small and fibrous MPs seemed more easily embedded in biominerals. The findings confirm the presence of MPs in oyster shells in coastal environments. In addition, oyster shells may contain higher amounts of MPs than soft tissues 4-5 times, which needs to be confirmed. Further revealing the distribution and accumulation of MPs in water/terrestrial biominerals will help to understand the fate of MPs in the environment.
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