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When the small ones tease the largest: Microplastic and phthalate ester occurrence in cetaceans occasionally found in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2025 2 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 48 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Baini, Bianca Unger, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, María Cristina Fossi, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, Sonja M. Ehlers, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, Carolin Philipp, María Cristina Fossi, Carolin Philipp, Carolin Philipp, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Carolin Philipp, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Carolin Philipp, María Cristina Fossi, Carolin Philipp, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, Carolin Philipp, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Ursula Siebert Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Ursula Siebert Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, Ursula Siebert Ursula Siebert Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Jochen H. E. Koop, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Sonja M. Ehlers, Cristina Panti, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Cristina Panti, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, Sonja M. Ehlers, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Sonja M. Ehlers, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Galli, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Cristina Panti, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, Jochen H. E. Koop, Sonja M. Ehlers, Cristina Panti, Jochen H. E. Koop, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Galli, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, Carolin Philipp, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Cristina Panti, Bianca Unger, Matteo Baini, Sonja M. Ehlers, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Ursula Siebert María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Ursula Siebert Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Ursula Siebert María Cristina Fossi, Ursula Siebert María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Ursula Siebert Matteo Baini, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Bianca Unger, Bianca Unger, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Ursula Siebert Jochen H. E. Koop, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Ursula Siebert Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Matteo Galli, Jochen H. E. Koop, Jochen H. E. Koop, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Ursula Siebert Ursula Siebert María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Matteo Baini, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Matteo Galli, Cristina Panti, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Panti, Cristina Panti, Matteo Baini, Bianca Unger, María Cristina Fossi, María Cristina Fossi, Ursula Siebert

Summary

Seven cetacean species stranded on Germany's North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts were examined for microplastics and phthalate esters, with microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals detected in intestinal and fecal samples across baleen and toothed whale species alike.

Polymers
PA
Body Systems
Digestive Musculoskeletal Reproductive

Living in potentially burdened waters and prey on loaded species, marine mammals are sentinels for microplastic (MP) pollution. Here, seven different species of cetaceans were investigated covering baleen (Mysticeti) and toothed (Odontoceti) whales stranded along the German coast between 2016 and 2021. Intestinal and faecal samples of 12 sperm whales, three minke whales, two dolphin species, one long-finned pilot whale, one fin whale and one neonate orca were analysed. The concentrations of 11 phthalates were assessed in blubber and muscle samples. MPs were detected with Nile Red staining, polymer identification was conducted using μFTIR spectroscopy. Four individuals showed no MP burden. An average of 4.6 MPs (Odontocetes) and 3.25 MPs (Mysticetes) were found. A share of 0 and 19 MPs was found per 10 g of faeces. Polyamide, polyolefin and polyester were detected. No significant differences between baleen or toothed whales were identified. In individuals which revealed macro debris inside their stomach also showed MPs in their faeces. Individuals with an empty stomach (N = 3) still showed MP presence. Nine compounds of PAEs were quantified in both muscle and blubber of seven species in different concentrations. DEHP was the most abundant compound. The results cannot be linked to the burden in the North - or Baltic Sea, since not all investigated specimens are regularly occurring here. Evidence is given that both baleen and toothed whales from the northern hemisphere are similarly burdened with MPs, and that not only ingested macro-debris can be assumed as a source for MP.

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