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Microplastic is a large and complex global environmental problem and one of the major aspects of pollution is the occurrence of microplastic in marine ecosystem. As filter feeding organisms mussels process relatively large amounts of water during feeding what maximizes exposure to any harmful material within the water column and can result in the accumulation of chemical pollutants and microplastic available in the environment. Also, the presence of microplastic in sefood could pose a threat to food safety. Here, we investigate the presence of microplastic in farmed - commercially grown and wild grown mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Lamarck, 1819) along the Adriatic Sea comprehending shellfish farming sites in the north (Lim bay, N=30), middle (Sibenik bay, N=30) and south (Mali Ston bay, N=30). Microplastic items (fragments, fibers and pellets) were recovered from the soft tissues of mussels and they varied depending on the item from 0.02 to 4.46 items/g in wild and 0.02 to 5.52 items/g in farmed and from 0.033 to 6.36 items/individual in wild and 0.33 to 5.43 items/individual in farmed. This first evaluation of microplastic in mussels in Croatian Adriatic Sea represents a baseline for further research. Results suggest that microplastic presence is widespread in Adriatic Sea and environmental monitoring is advisable.

The objectives of this research were to examine the levels of microplastics contamination in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) and to examine the impact microplastics have upon its health. In addition to human health, microplastics can provide a cost to aquaculture, by potentially impacting the growth rates of the mussels. The samples were selected from both the wild (Zvončac bay, N=20) and commercially raised populations (Marina bay, N=20) to compare levels of microplastics and indices of metabolic fitness. Activities of two enzymes involved in metabolic energy production, citrate synthase and lactic dehydrogenase were examined. The analysis showed multiple types of microplastics in mussels, including fragments (1, 02 MP/g in farmed and 2, 2 MP/g in wild) and pellets (0, 37 MP/g in farmed and 0.35 MP/g in wild). The results showed that there was no significant difference between the wild and farmed mussels in enzyme activities. More comprehensive research should be conducted on microplastics effect on mussel metabolic health.

U radu je opisana histološka građa organa probavnog sustava smokve korištenjem histoloških i histokemijskih tehnika.