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Microplastics in commercial molluscs from the lagoon of Bizerte (Northern Tunisia)
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in six species of commercially harvested molluscs from the lagoon of Bizerte in northern Tunisia. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from roughly 700 to 1,500 items per kilogram of wet weight, with fibers being the most common type and polyethylene and polypropylene the main polymers detected. The results suggest widespread microplastic pollution in these commercially important shellfish, raising concerns about trophic transfer through the food web and human dietary exposure.
Microplastic (MP) pollution was investigated, for the first time, in six commercial molluscs collected from the lagoon of Bizerte during March 2018. The objective of this study was to determine the bioavailability of MPs to marine organisms and their risk for consumers of seafood. MP concentrations varied from 703.95 ± 109.80 to 1482.82 ± 19.20 items kg wet weight. Three types of coloured MPs, including fibres, fragments and films were recovered. Fibres were the most common MP type isolated in each species. The most common size class was 0.1-1 mm. The FTIR-ATR analysis confirmed the presence of two polymer types polyethylene and polypropylene. Our results suggest that MP pollution was widespread and exhibited a relatively high level in commercial molluscs collected from Bizerte lagoon, suggesting trophic transfer in the food web and human exposure risks by diet. More investigations on MPs should be conducted in seafood and other marine organisms.
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