Shellfish collected from sheltered coastal areas in Kenjeran, Indonesia, contain more microplastic particles per kilogram than those from more open coastal areas in Balekambang, likely due to...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
In quiet, sheltered bays, plastic bits don’t get washed away, so there’s more of them in the water. Shellfish that filter water to eat swallow more of these bits, and because the water doesn’t move much, the plastics can’t get flushed out easily — so they just build up inside the shellfish over...
Most probable mechanism
In calm, sheltered waters, water doesn't move much, so tiny plastic pieces stay in the area longer. Shellfish that filter water to eat take in more of these plastics because they're stuck there, and since the water doesn't flush them out, the plastics build up inside their bodies.
Reduced hydrodynamic flow in semi-enclosed coastal areas decreases the flushing and dispersion of suspended microplastics.
Elevated local concentrations of microplastics increase the frequency of particle ingestion by filter-feeding bivalves.
Limited water exchange reduces the rate at which ingested microplastics are expelled through fecal or pseudofecal deposition.
Prolonged retention of microplastics within the digestive tract and gill tissues leads to cumulative accumulation in wet tissue mass.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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Contradicting (0)
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