Microplastic ingestion by planktonic larvae of gastropods and bivalves in The Black Sea

Abstract

In this study, occurrence and composition of microplastics in planktonic larvae of gastropods and bivalves were assessed in the SE Black Sea. Plankton samples were collected from water column between July 2019 and June 2020 along the SE Black Sea. abundance of Bivalve and Gastropod larvae ranged from 0 to 7861 ind.m-3 (average 358 ±645 ind.m-3) and 0 to 217 ind.m-3 (average 21 ±16 ind.m-3), respectively. As a result of the analysis of a total of 2478 Bivalve and 230 Gastropod larvae, microplastic ingestion was calculated as 0.007-0.143 mp.ind-1 and 0.125 mp.ind-1, respectively. Ingested microplastics were mainly in the shape of fragment and red, black and yellow in colour. Study results show that the pelagic environment and planktonic larvae of gastropods and bivalves of the Black Sea are contaminated by microplastics. Mussel and sea snails, which have an important ecological and economic value, exposed to microplastics from the early stages of their life cycle and are likely to act as a vector for the transfer of microplastics and associated toxic chemicals to upper trophic levels including humans in the Black Sea.