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Microplastics contamination in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis (L.)) and marine sediments along the coast of British Columbia, Canada
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This study measured microplastic contamination in blue mussels and marine sediments at multiple sites along the coast of British Columbia, documenting widespread microplastic presence across the region. The results confirm that filter-feeding bivalves accumulate microplastics from contaminated coastal waters and provide baseline data for ongoing monitoring of Canadian Pacific coastal pollution.
Contamination of marine ecosystems with microplastics (plastic particles ≤ 5mm) is now recognized as a serious and growing threat to sealife. One major concern is that invertebrates, fish, seabirds and marine mammals mistake plastic for food, leading to suffocation, blockage of the gut and/or malnutrition. Microplastics have been detected in sediment around the world, highlighting the propensity of this matrix to serve as a sink. Due to their extensive filter-feeding activity, marine bivalves are directly exposed to this structural pollutant. In the present study, we investigate microplastics contamination in nearshore subtidal sediment and mussel samples collected at 43 sites along the British Columbia coast. Microplastics were extracted from a 50g sediment subsample using a newly-developed method based on oleophilic properties of microplastics while mussel soft tissues were digested using enzymes. All samples are currently being analyzed under light microscopy to count and characterize (shape, colour, size) microplastics particles. A subset of microplastics will then be analyzed using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) in order to characterize polymer types. Our results will help shed some light on the source, transport and fate of microplastics in coastal British Columbia.
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Blue mussels were deployed at 11 sites across the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia and monitored for microplastic ingestion over 60 days, providing the first microplastic data for mussels in this region. The results document widespread microplastic uptake by mussels across sites with varying levels of human activity.
Application of the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) as an indicator of microplastic pollution within the Salish Sea
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This study used blue mussels placed at 11 sites in British Columbia waters to measure microplastic pollution, finding an average of about 2 microplastic particles per mussel, with 91% being fibers. The results suggest mussels could serve as useful indicators of microplastic contamination in marine environments. Since mussels are also a food source for humans, these findings are relevant to understanding our dietary exposure to microplastics.
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Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in blue mussels from a study site, finding microplastics in a large proportion of sampled individuals and documenting the types and sizes of particles present.
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Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in wild and cultured blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from Nova Scotia, assessing how plastic contamination varies between farmed and wild bivalves in Canadian coastal waters.
Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada
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Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in Manila clams and Pacific oysters grown at commercial shellfish aquaculture sites versus reference beaches in coastal British Columbia, finding that proximity to aquaculture operations influenced microplastic levels in both bivalves and surrounding sediments.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.