Seawater carbonate chemistry and shell strength of juveniles of the commercial clam species Chamelea gallina

The objectives of the present study were to assess the long-term effect of increasing pCO2 after 217 days of exposure under controlled conditions of pH of ~8.2, 8.0, and 7.7 on the strength and integrity of shells of juveniles of the commercial striped venus clam Chamelea gallina. Shell strength was estimated through compression tests and integrity through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX).