Microplastics in Invasive Freshwater Mussels (Dreissena sp.): Spatiotemporal Variation and Occurrence With Chemical Contaminants

Invasive zebra and quagga mussels ( Dreissena spp.) in the Great Lakes of North America are biomonitors for chemical contaminants, but also exposed to microplastics (<5 mm). Little research has examined situ microplastic ingestion by dreissenid mussels, or relationship between contaminants. We measured contaminants mussel tissue from Milwaukee Harbor (Lake Michigan, United States) harvested reference locations sites influenced wastewater effluent urban river discharge. Mussels were deployed cages summer 2018, retrieved after 30 60 days, sorted size class, analyzed body burdens three classes contaminants: alkylphenols, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum biomarkers. Microplastics higher largest at wastewater-adjacent site days deployment. However, there was no distinction among smaller differences not correlated. have a diversity intrinsic extrinsic factors which influence their ingestion, retention, egestion vary relative chemicals. While may serve as plastic pollution like they can widespread, variable, unknown effects on physiology, mussel-mediated ecosystem processes, lake food webs. These data will inform our understanding spatial distribution freshwaters, role budgets, models fate pollution.