Mussels for microlitter studies

 Photos: Pia Varmanen

Bivalves (Baltic clams and blue mussels) are effective filter feeders in the Baltic Sea. They filter small phytoplankton particles from the surrounding water but unfortunately also microplastic particles. This has been proved in experimental studies. To study if they also filter plastics in nature blue mussels were collected from the Åland Sea for further analysis in the lab.