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Uptake of Microplastics in the Wedge Clam Donax trunculus: First Evidence from the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic uptake in the wedge clam Donax trunculus from the Mediterranean Sea, characterizing the particles ingested by this commercially important bivalve species along Italian coastal beaches. The findings establish this species as a useful bioindicator for microplastic monitoring and raise concerns about human dietary exposure through shellfish consumption.
The Mediterranean Sea is affected by microplastic contamination, and several methods have been developed to investigate the degree of environmental plastic pollution. Among these, the use of bioindicators is strongly suggested, and in particular bivalves are sensitive sentinel organisms of the level of microplastic contamination. The wedge clams Donax trunculus is an important edible species for the Mediterranean, area but only rudimentary knowledge is available about microplastic contamination in this species, and no data are available about this topic in the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the microplastic accumulation in the wedge clam and in different water samples (seawater and purged water) in the Tyrrhenian Coast from September to June. The microplastics found were characterized by color, shape, and polymer type through micro-FTIR. For the first time, the microplastic contamination in wedge clams of the Mediterranean Sea was recorded. In September was recorded the highest concentration of microplastics in wedge clams (0.56 MPs/individual). Only microfiber shapes of different colors and types of polymers were found in both wedge clams and water samples. Polyethylene terephthalate was the most common polymer in wedge clams, while a diversified composition was found in water samples. The most common size both in wedge clams (42.8%) and water samples (≥50%) was in the range 0.1–1 mm. Our results highlight the presence of microplastics in an edible species widely commercialized in the Mediterranean Basin and the possibility of using this species to assess microplastic pollution.
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Researchers studied microplastic contamination across three connected elements along Italy's Mediterranean coast: wedge clams, sediment, and seawater. Both young and adult clams contained microplastics, with fibers being the most common type, confirming that these shellfish accumulate plastic particles from their environment. Since wedge clams are harvested for human consumption, the study highlights how microplastics in coastal waters enter the seafood supply.
The wedge clam Donax trunculus L., 1758 as a bioindicator of microplastic pollution
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The wedge clam Donax trunculus was evaluated as a bioindicator of microplastic pollution at six coastal sites near a developing tourist resort in Morocco, with microplastic loads in tissues ranging from 1.75 to 5.93 items per gram and reflecting local levels of beach urbanization. The study supports using this bivalve as a monitoring species for plastic pollution in Mediterranean coastal systems.
The Occurrence of Microplastics in Donax trunculus (Mollusca: Bivalvia) Collected along the Tuscany Coast (Mediterranean Sea)
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Scientists found microplastics in wedge clams collected along the Tuscan coast of Italy, with an average of 0.18 confirmed microplastic particles per gram of tissue. Polyethylene and PET were the main plastic types found, appearing as both fibers and fragments. Based on typical consumption patterns, researchers estimated that people who eat these clams could be exposed to about 19 microplastics per person per year, classified as a moderate health risk level.
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Researchers monitored microplastic distribution and characteristics in the wedge clam Donax cuneatus and its surrounding water and sediment habitat along the Tuticorin coast of India's Gulf of Mannar, investigating the relationship between environmental microplastic concentrations and accumulation in the clam's body.
Ingestion of Microplastics in Edible Beach Invertebrates in Vietnam
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Researchers examined microplastic ingestion in three edible beach invertebrates in Vietnam — wedge clams, hermit crabs, and ghost crabs — using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, finding all three species ingested microplastics and that sedentary filter-feeding Donax clams showed the highest ingestion rates and polymer diversity, positioning them as a potential bioindicator species.
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