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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.
This study describes the use of D. trunculus as a bioindicator of microplastic (MPs) pollution due to beach urbanization related to the development of the Taghazout Bay tourist resort in Morocco. In six sites located on the coast, MPs densities ranged from 1.75 to 5.93 items per gram of D. trunculus wet weight. MPs contamination was significantly influenced spatiotemporally by the urbanization degree in the area. The shapes found were fibers (90.5%) and fragments (9.5%). The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis reported two polymers: polyethylene (65%) and polypropylene (35%). MPs colors were dark and light, with a predominance of light blue (23.8%). The species ingested different sizes of MPs, mainly the 0.1 and 0.5 mm fractions. Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (SEM/EDX) revealed weathered MPs with chemical elements adhered to their surface (Cu, Fe, Mg, S, Cl, etc.). The results of this study recommend the use of D. trunculus as a new bioindicator of MPs pollution following an urban change in the coastal scenery. Also, a sustainable coastal management must be implemented in the study area.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Researchers used Mediterranean fish and invertebrates as bioindicators of plastic pollution, correlating microplastic ingestion levels with phthalate ester concentrations in their tissues to validate the use of combined biological monitoring for tracking spatial and temporal trends in marine plastic contamination.
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Wedge clams (Donax trunculus) exposed to an environmentally relevant microplastic mixture showed elevated oxidative stress markers and neurotoxicity indicators (inhibited acetylcholinesterase), demonstrating that real-world mixed microplastic exposure causes biochemical harm in marine bivalves.
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