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.
Highlights
Plastic debris is ubiquitous in the marine environment (Rochman et al, 2015)
Due to their high abundance and bioavailability, microplastics have been considered as a pollutant in their own right (Andrady, 2011; Cole, 2014)
Secondary microplastics are derived from the disintegration of larger plastic items (“macroplastics”) within marine systems through wave action, UV radiation exposure and physical abrasion as the items are moved by wave action or washed over shorelines
Summary
Plastic debris is ubiquitous in the marine environment (Rochman et al, 2015). It is estimated that 4.8–12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste could be entering the marine environment annually, contributing to an estimated five trillion pieces of plastic in the surface waters of the global seas (Eriksen et al, 2014; Jambeck et al, 2015). There has been a growing concern regarding “microplastics,” which are defined as plastic particles
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