Marine and freshwater mussels as biomonitors for microplastic concentrations: A comparative laboratory study.

Summary: Tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are polluting our oceans and rivers. They are dangerous to wildlife, but they are very hard to measure because they are so small. Scientists usually use nets to catch them, but nets miss the tiniest pieces. This study looks at a clever new idea: using mussels to measure plastic pollution! Mussels constantly filter water to eat, so they trap microplastics inside their bodies. Researchers tested ocean mussels and freshwater mussels in a lab to see if the amount of plastic in the mussels matches the amount of plastic in the water. If it does, mussels could be a great new tool to help us track and clean up plastic pollution.