Pubblicazione scientifica

Microplastic ingestion ubiquitous in marine turtles

FILONE TECNOLOGICO	TEMA
economia circolare e sostenibilità

RIASSUNTO

Abstract

Despite concerns regarding the environmental impacts of microplastics, knowledge of the incidence and levels of synthetic particles in large marine vertebrates is lacking. Here, we utilize an optimized enzymatic digestion methodology, previously developed for zooplankton, to explore whether synthetic particles could be isolated from marine turtle ingesta. We report the presence of synthetic particles in every turtle subjected to investigation (n = 102) which included individuals from all seven species of marine turtle, sampled from three ocean basins (Atlantic [ATL]: n = 30, four species; Mediterranean (MED): n = 56, two species; Pacific (PAC): n = 16, five species). Most particles (n = 811) were fibres (ATL: 77.1% MED: 85.3% PAC: 64.8%) with blue and black being the dominant colours. In lesser quantities were fragments (ATL: 22.9%: MED: 14.7% PAC: 20.2%) and microbeads (4.8%; PAC only; to our knowledge the first isolation of microbeads from marine megavertebrates). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) of a subsample of particles (n = 169) showed a range of synthetic materials such as elastomers (MED: 61.2%; PAC: 3.4%), thermoplastics (ATL: 36.8%: MED: 20.7% PAC: 27.7%) and synthetic regenerated cellulosic fibres (SRCF; ATL: 63.2%: MED: 5.8% PAC: 68.9%). Synthetic particles being isolated from species occupying different trophic levels suggest the possibility of multiple ingestion pathways. These include exposure from polluted seawater and sediments and/or additional trophic transfer from contaminated prey/forage items. We assess the likelihood that microplastic ingestion presents a significant conservation problem at current levels compared to other anthropogenic threats.

DATA

Data di pubblicazione: 04/12/2018

AUTORI

DUNCAN EMILY M
BRODERICK ANNETTE C
FULLER WAYNE J
GALLOWAY TAMARA S
GODFREY MATTHEW H
HAMANN MARK
LIMPUS COLIN J
LINDEQUE PENELOPE K
MAYES ANDREW G
OMEYER LUCY C M
SANTILLO DAVID
SNAPE ROBIN T E
GODLEY BRENDAN J

ENTE DI AFFERENZA

MARINE TURTLE RSCH GROUP CTR ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION UNIV EXETER PENRYN UK
COLLEGE OF LIFE & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES BIOSCIENCES UNIV EXETER EXETER UK
MARINE ECOLOGY & BIODIVERSITY PLYMOUTH MARINE LAB
FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE NEAR EAST UNIV NICOSIA NORTH CYPRUS TURKEY
SOCIETY FOR PROTECTION OF TURTLES KYRENIA NORTH CYPRUS TURKEY
NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION BEAUFORT NORTH CAROLINA
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & ENG JAMES COOK UNIV TOWNSVILLE QLD AUSTRALIA
DEPT ENVIRONMENT & SCIENCE THREATENED SPECIES UNIT BRISBANE QLD AUSTRALIA
SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY UNIV EAST ANGLIA NORWICH RSCH PARK NORWICH UK
GREENPEACE RSCH LAB SCHOOL OF BIOSCIENCES INNOV CTR PHASE 2 UNIV EXETER EXETER UK

RIVISTA

Global Change Biology, 25(2), 744-752

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