A Critical Assessment of Microplastics in Molluscan Shellfish with Recommendations for Experimental Protocols, Animal Husbandry, Publication, and Future Research

The review discusses the issue of microplastics (MP) contamination and its impact on particle-feeding molluscs. It highlights that the scientific literature on this topic has been rushed and contains numerous methodological flaws, misinterpretations, and exaggerated claims. The review provides a critical assessment of over 750 publications and finds that most have significant flaws. It also points out that while microplastics are commonly found in molluscs, the actual levels are very low and not demonstrated to pose a serious risk to human health or the shellfish themselves. The review identifies common mistakes in field and laboratory studies and emphasizes the need for rigorous, well-designed research. It also suggests that bivalve molluscs may not be reliable indicators of microplastic pollution and calls for harmonized methodologies and more stringent peer-review processes in scientific journals.

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