Extraction Protocol Optimization for Detection of Microplastics in Digestive System Contents of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta Caretta)

Abstract

Marine litter is one of the most important human-caused pressures on the marine environment, it is defined as “any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment” [1, 2]. The most abundance part of marine litter is composed by plastic [3]. The main and most remarkable risks for the species inhabiting the marine environment are entanglement and accidental ingestion. Moreover, from the direct release of particles of plastic and as a fragmentation of large items consequence, originate microplastic. The presence of microplastics in the marine environment has raised scientific interest during the last decade. As demonstrated, ingestion of marine litter can have lethal and sub-lethal effects on wildlife that accidentally ingests it, and sea turtles are particularly susceptible. For this reason loggerhead turtle (C. caretta) has been identified by the European Commission (EC), in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) [4, 5], as indicator for monitoring the amount of Marine Litter ingested by marine animals in Mediterranean basin. The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM) is contributing to monitor the impact of marine litter on sea turtles and biota for MSFD, thanks to the participation of EC funded-project “Implementation Of Indicators Of Marine Litter On Sea Turtles And Biota In Regional Sea Conventions And Marine Strategy Framework Directive Areas – INDICIT” (https://indicit-europa.eu/). This is an European program to implement novel protocols and indicators of litter impact on marine turtles [6] Data from Adriatic coast are provided by IZSAM that is a member of Abruzzo and Molise stranding network instituted by Regional Government [7, 8], whose main objectives is diagnostic investigation of dead cause of stranded marine animals with the aim conservation of protected species, the indirect control of environmental status and the protection of public health.