A versatile approach to evaluate the occurrence of microfibers in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Tyrrhenian Sea

Abstract Microplastic of fibrous shape are esteemed to be the most abundant micro-debris form present in the environment, and considered a ubiquitous microplastic pollution that was recognized as a potential environmental stressor. In this study, a versatile approach to evaluate the occurrence of microfibers is proposed, able to discriminate among natural and synthetic microfibers, in farmed mussels ( Mytilus galloprovincialis ) from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The approach was useful to determine that microfibers were present in 74% of mussel samples, with a mean number of 14.57 microfibers/individual, corresponding to 3.13 microfibers/g w.w.. A negative correlation between the size of analysed mussels and the amount of microfibers/g w.w. (r(48)=-.339, p = .016) was detected, showing that smaller specimens contained more microfibers than the larger ones. This work pave the way to further studies aimed to adequately assess the risk that microfibers may pose for marine biota, also considering the commercial value as seafood items of many species of the Mytilus genus and the potential implication for human health.