The Effect of Clam Abundance on Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems

Overview

Microplastic concentrations have been exponentially increasing since plastic’s introduction in 1907 and its high utilization during World War I (1914 -1918). With limited means of disposal, approximately 9 million tons of plastic are found annually in oceans. In efforts to decrease the abundance of microplastics in marine ecosystems, the purpose of this experiment is to measure the effects of clams on microplastic consumption to reduce plastic sea consumption, and offer a solution to microplastic pollution. Clams were placed in 1.75 liter tanks, immersed in Okinawan sea water for 3 days, and fed on a regular diet. The clams were then massed to have an initial mass for comparison. After 1 day, 2.5 g of blended plastic bottle caps were added, and left for the whole time in the tanks with the clams. The clams were massed again in order to compare their initial and final masses after the introduction of plastics in their environment. This determined the retination of microplastics within clam populations. It was f ound that clams with microplastic introductions had a greater average mass increase than those with no microplastic introductions placed in the same exact conditions with respective mass increases of 0.026 g, 0.03 g, and 0.032 g.

Competition history

• JSHS 2025 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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