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Microplastics contamination in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis (L.)) and marine sediments along the coast of British Columbia, Canada
Summary
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.