Major
Music
Anticipated Graduation Year
2022
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Microplastics, plastic particles <5 mm, are increasingly common in marine and
freshwater ecosystems worldwide and are easily ingested by filter feeding bivalves like oysters, mussels, and clams. Bivalves can have a major impact on ecosystem dynamics, including water clarity and invertebrate abundance, but there are no assessments of microplastics in invasive Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). We collected water and clams from urban and agricultural streams in Northeastern Illinois and processed them for microplastics based on clam size, location, and microplastic color. Feeding trials and additional samples will be needed to determine mechanistic links between microplastics and Corbicula in future research.
Community Partners
NOAA
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
T. Hoellein, Associate Professor, Biology
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Microplastic in Invasive Freshwater Clams (Corbicula fluminea) in Urban and Agricultural Streams
Microplastics, plastic particles <5 >mm, are increasingly common in marine and
freshwater ecosystems worldwide and are easily ingested by filter feeding bivalves like oysters, mussels, and clams. Bivalves can have a major impact on ecosystem dynamics, including water clarity and invertebrate abundance, but there are no assessments of microplastics in invasive Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). We collected water and clams from urban and agricultural streams in Northeastern Illinois and processed them for microplastics based on clam size, location, and microplastic color. Feeding trials and additional samples will be needed to determine mechanistic links between microplastics and Corbicula in future research.