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Spatial Distribution of Microplastic Contamination in the Invasive Red Sea Mussel Brachidontes pharaonis (Fischer P., 1870) Around the İskenderun Bay
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This study found microplastics in 39% of the invasive mussel Brachidontes pharaonis specimens collected from Iskenderun Bay, Turkey, with fibers making up 75% of the particles and polypropylene and polyethylene being the main polymer types. Because this invasive bivalve filter-feeds and is spreading across the eastern Mediterranean, it offers a useful sentinel species for monitoring coastal microplastic contamination.
This study is first study reporting the microplastic abundance in soft tissues of a bivalvae Brachidontes pharaonis collected from 4 stations of İskenderun Bay. A total of 245 B. pharaonis specimens were examined and results showed that among examined specimens, 95 of them contained microplastic in their soft tissues. When all the data combined, mean MP abundance was found as 0.4±0.5 MPs ind-1 and 0.3±0.4 MPs g-1 ww. Fibers were predominant type of MPs and accounted for 75% of total extracted MPs, followed by fragments (25%). Majority of MPs were less than 1 mm and black. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the extracted MPs were polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Identified polymer types indicate that aquatic biota impacted by the anthropogenic influences such as agriculture, farming, fishing, household, etc. Results obtained in this study contribute the knowledge related with the microplastic contamination levels in marine biota.
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Researchers compared microplastic contamination in wild and commercially farmed mussels from the Sea of Marmara in Turkey. They found microplastics in all mussel samples, with wild mussels containing somewhat different types and amounts compared to aquacultured ones, and fibers being the dominant form in both. The study estimates that regular consumption of these mussels represents a measurable pathway for human exposure to microplastics through seafood.
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in edible wild mussels and water samples from two stations in Izmir Bay, Turkey. They detected over 1,600 microplastic particles across 60 mussel samples and nearly 1,900 particles in water samples, with fibers being the dominant type. The study included a public health risk assessment suggesting that regular consumption of these mussels results in meaningful microplastic intake for consumers.
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in fish, mollusks, and sediment from the Sea of Marmara in Turkey. They found microplastics in all species examined, averaging about 2 to 3 particles per individual, with fibers and polyethylene terephthalate being the most common types. The results indicate widespread microplastic pollution throughout this marine environment that may accumulate through the food web.
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