Microplastic contamination in edible American lobster (Homarus americanus) muscle tissue

Abstract

This study investigated internalized microplastic (MP) concentration, size, and polymer composition in the edible muscle tissue of Homarus americanus collected from four commercial lobster fishing sites in Nova Scotia, Canada. Mean MP concentration across all lobsters was 6.65 ± 5.36 MPs g−1 wet weight tissue, and all lobsters examined contained MPs. MP concentration was inversely correlated with lobster size (i.e., tail length), and varied depending on sampling location, with significantly higher MP concentrations in lobsters from the south-west area. The mean MP diameter was 3.65 ± 0.47 µm, while the most common MP size classes found indicate translocation susceptibility of lobster muscle tissue from the smallest MPs (≤4 µm). The most abundant polymers identified were polyethylene vinyl acetate (25 %), polyester (25 %), and polysulfone (19 %). Findings highlight the need for more muscle tissue-specific analysis to better understand the ecological implications of MP contamination in lobsters. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of MP exposure on lobsters.