The observation of starch digestion in blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to microplastic particles under varied food conditions.

Abstract

Microplastic continues to be an environmental concern, especially for filter feeding bivalves known to ingest these particles. It is important to understand the effects of microplastic particles on the physiological performance of these bivalves and many studies have investigated their impact on various physiological processes. This study investigated the effects of microplastic (10 μm) on digestive enzyme (amylase) activity of Mytilus galloprovincialis at 55,000 and 110,000 microplastic particles/L under laboratory conditions. Additionally, our study measured the expression of an isoform of Hsp70 in the gills to assess whether or not these particles may cause protein denaturation. Results revealed that this regime negatively affect the ability of M. galloprovincialis to digest starch under high food conditions but not low food conditions. Exposure to extreme levels of microplastic raised amylase activity. Furthermore, Hsp70 transcript abundance was not elevated in treatment mussels. These results show that mussels may be resilient to current microplastic pollution levels in nature.