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Abundance of Microplastics in Two Venus Clams (Meretrix lyrata and Paratapes undulatus) from Estuaries in Central Vietnam
Summary
Microplastics were found at 2.17-5.36 items per gram in two edible bivalve species from Da Nang estuaries in Vietnam, with fibres dominant at 300-1500 microns, and estimated consumer intake from clam consumption of approximately 2489 microplastic items per person per year.
This study investigated the presence of microplastics in two common edible bivalves in Vietnam, the hard clam (Meretrix lyrata) and the undulate venus clam (Paratapes undulatus), from two estuaries in Da Nang city. Microplastics were detected in both species with relatively high concentrations—from 2.17 ± 0.43 to 2.38 ± 1.28 items g−1 in the undulate venus clams and from 4.71 ± 2.15 to 5.36 ± 2.69 items g−1 in the hard clams. Fibers were the most dominant form of microplastic in both clams, and a high proportion were fibers with sizes from 300 μm to 1500 μm. An estimation of microplastic intake in Vietnamese consumers’ bodies from clam consumption was made, which showed an average ingestion of 2489 items person−1 year−1. Our study is also the first global record of microplastic distribution characteristics in the undulate venus clam Paratapes undulatus.