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Microplastic Munchies: Exploring Microplastic Trophic Transfer Potential Between Two Key Prey Fish Species and Resident Common Bottlenose Dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) in Sarasota Bay, Florida
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Scientists studying dolphins in Florida's Sarasota Bay found tiny plastic bits (microplastics) in nearly all the fish these dolphins eat, and estimate the dolphins may swallow more than 10,000 plastic particles a day just from their prey. This matters beyond dolphins: it shows how plastic pollution moves up the food chain from fish to predators, raising questions about how much of this contamination could also be making its way into the seafood people eat.
ABSTRACT Microplastics have been identified in hundreds of species, with evidence of trophic transfer via contaminated prey. Sarasota Bay common bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) serve as sentinels of coastal pollution, including plastics and chemical plasticizers. Previous research confirmed microplastic ingestion in these dolphins (100.0%, n = 7) and extensive contamination in 11 common prey species (96.5%, n = 86). This study compared microplastic characteristics in dolphins, Gulf toadfish ( Opsanus beta , n = 30) and pinfish ( Lagodon rhomboides , n = 35), to assess potential trophic transfer. Dolphin ingestion was evaluated using gastric ( n = 23) and fecal ( n = 15) samples from catch‐and‐release health assessments (2022–2024), while prey gastrointestinal and muscle tissues were screened. Particles were prevalent across samples (dolphins: 82.6%, pinfish: 97.1%, toadfish: 96.7%), with fibers as the dominant shape. Raman spectroscopy confirmed plastic polymers (PL, PP, and PET) in all species. Pinfish had a higher median particle load (1.4 particles/g tissue) than toadfish (0.6 particles/g tissue; p = 0.006). Based on estimated daily food intake (5.96–6.45 kg) and diet composition (toadfish—34.1%, pinfish—38.1%), Sarasota dolphins may ingest more than 10,000 particles/day from these fish alone. Contaminated prey may be vectors for dolphin microplastic exposure. This study emphasizes the need for further research on microplastic pathways in marine food webs and implications for wildlife.
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Microplastics in bottlenose dolphins and two key prey fish from Sarasota Bay, FL
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Researchers found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in wild dolphins living in Sarasota Bay, Florida, as well as in the fish they eat — suggesting plastic pollution is moving up the food chain in coastal waters. Since dolphins eat seafood much like we do, and share a similar environment with fish caught for human consumption, this raises questions about whether we're also ingesting microplastics through our own seafood. More research is needed to know exactly what health effects this might have, but the findings are a reminder that plastic waste in our oceans doesn't just disappear — it ends up inside the animals (and potentially the food
Plastic, It’s What’s for Dinner: A Preliminary Comparison of Ingested Particles in Bottlenose Dolphins and Their Prey
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Researchers compared the types of microplastics found in the stomachs of bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, with those found in their prey fish. They found that 97% of prey fish contained suspected microplastics, primarily fibers in the gastrointestinal tract, but the particle types did not fully match those found in dolphin samples. The study suggests that contaminated prey may be one pathway for dolphin microplastic exposure, though additional sources likely contribute.
An Analysis of Suspected Microplastics in the Muscle and Gastrointestinal Tissues of Fish from Sarasota Bay, FL: Exposure and Implications for Apex Predators and Seafood Consumers
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Researchers analyzed muscle and gastrointestinal tissues of 11 fish species from Sarasota Bay, Florida, that are commonly eaten by bottlenose dolphins. They found suspected microplastics in 82% of muscle samples and 97% of gastrointestinal samples, suggesting widespread contamination. The findings raise concerns about microplastic transfer through the food chain to both marine predators and human seafood consumers.
Microplastics in gastric samples from common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) residing in Sarasota Bay FL (USA)
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Microplastics were detected in gastric samples from common bottlenose dolphins residing in Sarasota Bay, Florida, confirming that even marine mammals in a relatively studied coastal area are exposed to plastic debris. The results add to evidence that microplastics are widespread in the marine food web and that dolphins serve as useful sentinels for coastal pollution.
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Researchers estimated daily microplastic ingestion via trophic transfer for two dolphin species in the Mediterranean Sea and Northeast Atlantic, calculating that common dolphins ingest up to 164 microplastics per day in the Mediterranean. The estimates highlight how plastic pollution accumulates through marine food webs and reaches apex predators.
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