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Anthropogenic Debris in Bivalves Sold for Human Consumption in Northern California: A Cross-Sectional Follow-Up Study.

Metcalfe, Z. E.; Limberis, J. D.; Metcalfe, J.

2025-07-05 public and global health
10.1101/2025.07.03.25330794 medRxiv
Show abstract

Microplastics have emerged as a major environmental concern due to their widespread presence and potential health impacts. Growing water contamination has raised concerns about its presence in seafood consumed by humans. In this single-center, cross-sectional study, we collected a sample of 10 Pacific oysters sold locally in Northern California. We compared microplastic content with a prior study performed at the same location in 2015 (Rochman et al.). Anthropogenic debris was extracted from the whole tissue of shellfish using a 10% KOH solution and quantified under a dissecting microscope. Microplastics were found in all ten samples (compared with 4/12 samples in 2015), from three to greater than 40 particles per sample. These anthropogenic debris were primarily filaments from 0.2 to 2 mm long. Our study findings suggest that microplastics in bivalves sold for human consumption have increased in the past ten years, with potential human health concerns.

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