Microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment are ubiquitous. The ingestion of these pollutants by marine organisms has drawn global attention. This work studies the distribution pattern and characteristics of MPs found in the body of the clam Donax cuneatus and its environment in order to understand the possible relationship between the MP concentration in the environment (water and sediment) and that in the clam's body. Samples of D. cuneatus were collected from the coast between Vembar and Periyathazhai in Tuticorin district along GoM. MP concentrations range from 0.6 to 1.3 items/g (wet weight) in clams, 10–30 items/l in water, and 24–235 items/kg in sediment. Small-sized clams contain the highest concentration of MPs. Hence it is hypothesised that allometric relationship exists between body size and MP concentration, depending on the surface-area to volume ratio. MP abundance in clam body has a clear, positive, significant correlation with MP abundance in sediment but not with abundance of MP in water. Microplastics of fiber type with size 100–250 μm have a predominant presence in clams. The study identified ten types of polymers, of which polyethylene is the most common polymer in all sample types. FTIR-ATR spectra and surface morphology indicate that most of the microplastics have been strongly weathered. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis detected heavy metals associated with MPs like Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni and Fe. Filter-feeding clams like Donax sp. can provide valuable information on the spatial patterns of MP distribution, and so can act as bio-indicators in monitoring MP pollution in coastal areas.

海洋环境中的微塑料（MPs）无处不在。海洋生物对这些污染物的摄入引起了全球关注。这项工作研究了蛤DonDonax cuneatus体内及其周围环境中MP的分布模式和特征，以了解环境（水和沉积物）中和蛤body体内MP浓度之间的可能关系。豚鼠的样品是从GoM沿Tuticorin区的Vembar和Periyathazhai之间的海岸收集的。蛤的MP含量范围为0.6至1.3项目/ g（湿重），水中的MP浓度范围为10–30项目/ l，沉积物中的MP浓度范围为24–235项目/ kg。小蛤lam的MP含量最高。因此，假设根据表面积与体积之比，在体形和MP浓度之间存在异速关系。蛤body体内的MP含量与沉积物中MP含量呈明显的正相关，而与水中的MP含量则没有明显的正相关。蛤类中主要存在纤维类型为100–250μm的微塑料。该研究确定了十种类型的聚合物，其中聚乙烯是所有样品类型中最常见的聚合物。FTIR-ATR光谱和表面形态表明，大多数微塑料已被强烈风化。能量色散X射线光谱分析法检测到与MP关联的重金属，如Cd，Pb，Cu，Zn，Ni和Fe。滤食蛤cDonax sp。可以提供有关MP分布空间格局的有价值的信息，因此可以作为监测沿海MP污染的生物指标。