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Physiological response measures (respiration, clearance, byssus production, survival) of Perna viridis during a 91 day exposure experiment to microplastics in Bogor, Indonesia, 2014
Summary
Green mussels from Jakarta Bay were exposed to PVC microplastics contaminated with fluoranthene for 91 days at varying concentrations, with physiological responses including respiration and filtration measured at the midpoint. The long-term controlled experiment examined whether chronic low-level microplastic exposure in tropical coastal environments impairs mussel health.
Perna viridis from the Bay of Jakarta was exposed to different concentrations (0, 21.6, 216 and 2160 mg/l) of PVC microplastic particles for 91 days in a controlled laboratory experiment. Particles were negatively buoyant, but were regularly resuspended from the sediment, mimicking tidal events. The particles were contaminated with the organic pollutant fluoranthene, except for one control group, which was exposed to the highest plastic concentration (2160 mg/l) but with clean particles.Within the 91 days survival was monitored. After 40 - 44 days of the exposure, physiological responses of all mussel individuals were measured. Respiration rates were measured as the decrease of oxygen in a sealed container in 20 minutes. Clearance rates were determined by measuring the depletion of algal cells in the water in 30 minutes. Byssus production was assessed by counting the number of newly formed byssus discs within 24 hours.