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The microplastic pattern of wild-caught Mediterranean mussels from the Marmara Sea
Summary
Researchers surveyed wild Mediterranean mussels from 20 sites along the Sea of Marmara coastline for microplastic contamination. They found an average of about 2 microplastics per mussel, predominantly fibers and fragments in the smaller size ranges. The study highlights that microplastic pollution is widespread in this inland sea, raising concerns about seafood safety for consumers in the region.
The Sea of Marmara suffers from pollutants that come from municipal/industrial discharges and the Black Sea. Microplastic (MP)s, a rising environmental concern with consequences for seafood safety, are one of these contaminants. Thus, the abundance and feature of MPs in wild populations of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from 20 sites along the sea of Marmara coastlines were analyzed herein. In total, 812 MPs were detected in 412 mussels. The MPs ranged from 0.30 to 7.53 MP individual and 0.11 to 4.58 MP g fresh weight. The most common shape of the MPs detected was fiber (81.16%), the majority of which were smaller than 1 mm. Polymer types were verified by FTIR, and 14 different polymers have been identified; the dominant was polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 66.38%). When one is served by a mussel meal weekly, the risk statistics project that the exposure will be 252 MPs per portion. Yet, the risk associated with the MP-contaminated mussel consumption is insignificant according to hypothetical calculations using a chemical additive (bisphenol A).
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