Flinders University researchers are warning the global community about the possibility of plastic contamination in human food supplies, based on their findings from a recent study of South Australian mussels. The research team sampled blue mussels, a species that is indicative of ecosystem health due to its susceptibility to surrounding conditions, for the presence of microplastics particles. Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5 millimeters in size and are human-caused pollutants, often found in marine and fresh waters.
Conclusions drawn from the study’s findings include: