Are British Columbia blue mussels ingesting and retaining microplastics?
Presentation Abstract
Microplastics are plastic polymers mammals, sea turtles and sea birds, down to bivalves, echinoderms and zooplankton. For the first time, microplastic abundances will be reported for blue mussels (M. edulis) in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Individuals of the same genetic stock were deployed in cages within the Strait of Georgia between January and March, 2017. A total of 11 survey sites were included of varying anthropogenic disturbance. During each sampling period, mussels and water quality data were collected on day 0, 30 and 60 of the field survey. Using rigorous contamination control techniques and an enzymatic digestion (Corolase 7090), individual mussels were processed over an 18-hour period at 60°C. The resultant digested samples were then filtered through a 20µm polycarbonate filter for quantification using light microscopy (length, width, colour and shape where characterized). Polymer type was identified using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and a comprehensive data set of polymer composition and abundances established. Results are being compared to determine temporal and spatial differences between sites to determine if microplastics accumulate in these filter feeding organisms. Preliminary numbers are low, indicating that blue mussels are unlikely to accumulate microplastics within the body cavity. These findings may be a result of low environmental contamination, an ability by this species to eliminate microplastics post ingestion and/or selection against microplastics outright. Further results will help shed light on the initial notion that blue mussels may have the capacity to reject or eliminate microplastics and are not as vulnerable to contamination as other shellfish such as clams and oysters.
Session Title
Posters: Fate, Transport, & Toxicity of Chemicals
Conference Track
SSE18: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE18-54
Start Date
5-4-2018 11:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Microplastics--Environmental testing--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Mussels--Effect of contaminated sediments on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Are British Columbia blue mussels ingesting and retaining microplastics?
Microplastics are plastic polymers mammals, sea turtles and sea birds, down to bivalves, echinoderms and zooplankton. For the first time, microplastic abundances will be reported for blue mussels (M. edulis) in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Individuals of the same genetic stock were deployed in cages within the Strait of Georgia between January and March, 2017. A total of 11 survey sites were included of varying anthropogenic disturbance. During each sampling period, mussels and water quality data were collected on day 0, 30 and 60 of the field survey. Using rigorous contamination control techniques and an enzymatic digestion (Corolase 7090), individual mussels were processed over an 18-hour period at 60°C. The resultant digested samples were then filtered through a 20µm polycarbonate filter for quantification using light microscopy (length, width, colour and shape where characterized). Polymer type was identified using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and a comprehensive data set of polymer composition and abundances established. Results are being compared to determine temporal and spatial differences between sites to determine if microplastics accumulate in these filter feeding organisms. Preliminary numbers are low, indicating that blue mussels are unlikely to accumulate microplastics within the body cavity. These findings may be a result of low environmental contamination, an ability by this species to eliminate microplastics post ingestion and/or selection against microplastics outright. Further results will help shed light on the initial notion that blue mussels may have the capacity to reject or eliminate microplastics and are not as vulnerable to contamination as other shellfish such as clams and oysters.
