Ingestion and effects from microplastic (polyethylene) derived from toothpaste on blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Nerland, Inger Lise
Blázquez, Mercedes
Brooks, Stephen John
Thomas, Kevin

Publication date

November 2018

Abstract

Polyethylene (PE) microplastic particles (<5 mm) are found in consumer products such as toothpaste and there is evidence that these particles are ending up in the marine environment. This is why we used PE particles derived from toothpaste as our exposure particles (ranging from 50 µm - 570 µm). Blue mussels are suitable bio-indicators for microplastic pollution since they are sessile and are filtering large volumes of seawater including their ability to bio-concentrate none water-soluble pollutants. To best mimic the exposure scenarios in the marine environment we exposed both virgin PE particles and weathered PE particles (deployed in Outer Oslofjord for 3 weeks) to the blue mussels for a chronic study (21 days) with a concentration of ...