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Abundancia y características de microplásticos en el bivalvo comercial Aulacomya atra (Mytilidae: Bivalvia)
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This Peruvian study found microplastics in commercially sold ribbed mussel (Aulacomya atra) from three provinces, with the highest contamination in Lima, the most densely populated region. The majority of particles were polyester fibers consistent with laundry microfiber shedding, highlighting shellfish as a direct route for microplastic exposure in people who eat them whole.
Seafood contamination with microplastics is one major route for human intake. Shellfish are among the most important since most shellfish species are eaten fresh and entirely. The aim of the present study was to report the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in commercial bivalve Aulacomya atra sold in fisheries from three Peruvian provinces. Market surveys were carried out and standard microplastic extraction, observation, and analysis methods were conducted. The mean microplastic abundance in the three provinces was 0.56 ± 0.08 MP g-1. Lima, the most populated province in Peru, presented the highest concentration (1.04 ± 0.17 MP g-1). The majority of the microplastics were fiber/lines (58.8 %) and blue (40.5 %). The polymer identity of most fiber/lines was polyester, suggesting microfibers that shed from clothes during laundry may be one major source of contamination. Other identified polymers were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). The annual dietary microplastic intake by the Peruvian population was estimated to be ~48.18 MP person-1 year-1 via A. atra consumption only, although values could vary depending on the region. The need for a better supply chain, handling conditions, and further research are discussed.
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ABUNDANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROPLASTICS IN MARKET BIVALVE Aulacomya Atra (MYTILIDAE: BIVALVIA)
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Microplastics were detected in the commercial bivalve Aulacomya atra sold at fisheries markets in three Peruvian provinces, with mean contamination levels and polymer types characterized, highlighting shellfish as a significant route for human microplastic ingestion through seafood consumption.
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Scientists tested how mussels—a popular seafood—absorb and get rid of tiny polyester fibers (like those shed from synthetic clothing) at different exposure levels, and found that higher exposure didn't necessarily mean more fibers stayed trapped in the mussels' bodies. Even more notably, the "clean" mussels used as a comparison group already had microplastic fibers in them before the experiment even started, showing just how widespread this contamination already is. This matters because it suggests eating mussels and other shellfish is a likely route for microplastics to enter our diets, even from seafood we assume is uncontaminated.
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Researchers found microplastics in all six commercially exploited bivalve species sampled from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, with prevalence ranging from 74% to 100% across species, raising concerns about human exposure through seafood consumption in Central American coastal communities.
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Microplastics were detected in multiple commercially sold bivalve species (such as mussels and oysters) and in nearby inland and coastal waters. Because bivalves are widely eaten by humans, the findings raise direct concerns about microplastic dietary exposure through seafood consumption.
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