1. Microplastic fiber uptake, ingestion, and egestion rates in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis).
- Author
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Woods MN, Stack ME, Fields DM, Shaw SD, and Matrai PA
- Subjects
- Animals, Eating, Flow Cytometry methods, Maine, Mytilus edulis drug effects, Plastics pharmacokinetics, Water Pollutants, Chemical pharmacokinetics, Environmental Exposure analysis, Gastrointestinal Contents chemistry, Mytilus edulis physiology, Plastics analysis, Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis
- Abstract
Microplastic fibers (MPF) are a ubiquitous marine contaminant, making up to 90% of global microplastic concentrations. Imaging flow cytometry was used to measure uptake and ingestion rates of MPF by blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Mussels were fed a diet of Rhodomonas salina and MPF concentrations up to 30 MPF mL
-1 , or 0.374% of available seston. Filtration rates were greatly reduced in mussels exposed to MPF. Uptake of MPF followed a Holling's Type II functional response with 95% of the maximum rate (5227 MPF h- 1 . An average of 39 MPF (SE ± 15, n = 4) was found in feces (maximum of 70 MPF). Most MPF (71%) were quickly rejected as pseudofeces, with approximately 9% ingested and <1% excreted in feces. Mussels may act as microplastic sinks in Gulf of Maine coastal waters, where MPF concentrations are near the order of magnitude as the experimental treatments herein.-1 . An average of 39 MPF (SE ± 15, n = 4) was found in feces (maximum of 70 MPF). Most MPF (71%) were quickly rejected as pseudofeces, with approximately 9% ingested and <1% excreted in feces. Mussels may act as microplastic sinks in Gulf of Maine coastal waters, where MPF concentrations are near the order of magnitude as the experimental treatments herein., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2018
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