Effects of PVC and red clay microparticles on the performance of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

We performed a 5-week experiment in controlled laboratory settings to investigate the effects of different types of microparticles (i.e., PVC/red clay) on the performance of the Mediterranean mussel. Several response variables including respiration rate, byssus production, body condition index and survival were collected. Our study's main purpose is to examine effects of synthetic microparticles on bivalves using a more relevant methodological approach, i.e., in comparison to naturally-occurring particles, since these filter-feeders are exposed to not just microplastics in the real-world environment, but also to various naturally suspended seston particles, such as detritus and sediments.