Application of an enzyme digestion method reveals microlitter in Mytilus trossulus at a wastewater discharge area,

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 130, May 2018, Pages 206-214, ISSN 0025-326X,

Abstract:

The ingestion of microlitter by blue mussels (450) was studied at a
wastewater recipient area in the Baltic Sea. The mussel soft tissues
were digested using enzymatic detergents and the detected litter
particles characterized with FT-IR imaging spectroscopy. Microlitter
concentration in seawater and WWTP effluent were also measured.
Microlitter was found in 66% of the mussels. Mussels from the WWTP
recipient had higher microlitter content compared to those collected at
the reference site. Plastics made up 8% of all the analysed microlitter
particles. The dominating litter types were fibres (~90% of all
microlitter), 42% of which were cotton, 17% linen, 17% viscose and 4%
polyester. The risk of airborne contamination during laboratory work was
lowered when mussels were digested with their shells on instead of
dissecting them first. The approach was found applicable and gentle to
both non-synthetic and synthetic materials including fragile fibres.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LawtDfKfLJWfxZOMZ5BcVI9cx3LVsUuD
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.03.022.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X1830167X)

The post Application of an enzyme digestion method reveals microlitter in Mytilus trossulus at a wastewater discharge area appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal,
Environmental Pollution,
Volume 237,
2018,
Pages 675-684,
ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Microplastics (MPs) are the most numerous debris reported in
marine environments and assessment of the amounts of MPs that accumulate
in wild organisms is necessary for risk assessment. Our objective was to
assess MP contamination in mussels collected around the coast of
Scotland (UK) to identify characteristics of MPs and to evaluate risk of
human exposure to MPs via ingestion of mussels. We deployed caged
mussels (Mytilus edulis) in an urbanised estuary (Edinburgh, UK) to
assess seasonal changes in plastic pollution, and collected mussels
(Mytilus spp and subtidal Modiolus modiolus) from eight sampling
stations around Scotland to enumerate MP types at different locations.
We determined the potential exposure of humans to household dust fibres
during a meal to compare with amounts of MPs present in edible mussels.
The mean number of MPs in M. modiolus was 0.086 ± 0.031 (SE, n = 6)/g ww
(3.5 ± 1.29 (SE) per mussel). In Mytilus spp, the mean number of MPs/g
ww was 3.0 ± 0.9 (SE, n = 36) (3.2 ± 0.52 (SE) per mussel), but weight
dependent. The visual accuracy of plastic fibres identification was
estimated to be between 48 and 50%, using Nile Red staining and FT-IR
methodologies, respectively, halving the observed amounts of MPs in wild
mussels. We observed an allometric relationship between the number of
MPs and the mussels wet weight. Our predictions of MPs ingestion by
humans via consumption of mussels is 123 MP particles/y/capita in the UK
and can go up to 4620 particles/y/capita in countries with a higher
shellfish consumption. By comparison, the risk of plastic ingestion via
mussel consumption is minimal when compared to fibre exposure during a
meal via dust fallout in a household (13,731–68,415 particles/Y/capita).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i21GXMPUXEKWR_U1Cd7Kxcm0Rvosstkr
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.069.

(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117344445)

The post Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal,

Environmental Pollution,
Volume 237,
2018,
Pages 675-684,
ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:

Microplastics (MPs) are the most numerous debris reported in
marine environments and assessment of the amounts of MPs that accumulate
in wild organisms is necessary for risk assessment. Our objective was to
assess MP contamination in mussels collected around the coast of
Scotland (UK) to identify characteristics of MPs and to evaluate risk of
human exposure to MPs via ingestion of mussels. We deployed caged
mussels (Mytilus edulis) in an urbanised estuary (Edinburgh, UK) to
assess seasonal changes in plastic pollution, and collected mussels
(Mytilus spp and subtidal Modiolus modiolus) from eight sampling
stations around Scotland to enumerate MP types at different locations.
We determined the potential exposure of humans to household dust fibres
during a meal to compare with amounts of MPs present in edible mussels.
The mean number of MPs in M. modiolus was 0.086 ± 0.031 (SE, n = 6)/g ww
(3.5 ± 1.29 (SE) per mussel). In Mytilus spp, the mean number of MPs/g
ww was 3.0 ± 0.9 (SE, n = 36) (3.2 ± 0.52 (SE) per mussel), but weight
dependent. The visual accuracy of plastic fibres identification was
estimated to be between 48 and 50%, using Nile Red staining and FT-IR
methodologies, respectively, halving the observed amounts of MPs in wild
mussels. We observed an allometric relationship between the number of
MPs and the mussels wet weight. Our predictions of MPs ingestion by
humans via consumption of mussels is 123 MP particles/y/capita in the UK
and can go up to 4620 particles/y/capita in countries with a higher
shellfish consumption. By comparison, the risk of plastic ingestion via
mussel consumption is minimal when compared to fibre exposure during a
meal via dust fallout in a household (13,731–68,415 particles/Y/capita).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i21GXMPUXEKWR_U1Cd7Kxcm0Rvosstkr
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.069.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117344445)

The post Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

The influence of exposure and physiology on microplastic ingestion by the freshwater fish Rutilus rutilus (roach) in
the River Thames, UK,

Environmental Pollution, Volume 236, May 2018, Pages 188-194, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:
Microplastics are widespread throughout aquatic environments. However, there is currently insufficient understanding of the factors influencing ingestion of microplastics by organisms, especially higher predators
such as fish.

In this study we link ingestion of microplastics by the roach Rutilus rutilus, within the non-tidal part of the River Thames, toexposure and physiological factors.
Microplastics were found within the gut contents of roach from six out of seven sampling sites.
Of sampled fish, 33% contained at least one microplastic particle. The majority of particles were fibres (75%), with fragments and films also seen (22.7%and 2.3% respectively).
Polymers identified were polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, in addition to a synthetic dye. The maximum number of ingested microplastic particles for individual fish was strongly correlated to exposure (based on distance from the source of the river).
Additionally, at a given exposure, the size of fish correlated with the actual quantity of microplastics in the gut. Larger
(mainly female) fish were more likely to ingest the maximum possible number of particles than smaller (mainly male) fish.
This study is the first to show microplastic ingestion within freshwater fish in the UK and provides valuable new evidence of the factors influencing ingestion that can be used to inform future studies on exposure and hazard of microplastics to fish.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117330713/pdfft?md5=28409989d93f6c1af344fb33104b1f93&pid=1-s2.0-S0269749117330713-main.pdf

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1R74szRwtHpOIiP41-NoeXXD8kLq6Wcej

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.044.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117330713)

The post The influence of exposure and physiology on microplastic ingestion by the freshwater fish Rutilus rutilus (roach) in the River Thames, UK appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..