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Ocean predators as indicators of nano- and microplastic prevalence in pelagic food webs
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Researchers measured tiny plastic particles in the muscle tissue of dolphinfish and yellowfin tuna caught across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Polyethylene and other common plastics were found in both species, with amounts varying by location and species, but not linked to how high the fish sat in the food chain.
Quantifying nano- and microplastics (NMPs) in ocean predators is fundamental to understanding the prevalence of these contaminants and potential impacts on ecosystem health. Pyrolysis gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with lipid correction was used to determine NMP concentrations and polymer composition in the muscle tissue of two pelagic predators (dolphinfish [ Coryphaena hippurus ], yellowfin tuna [ Thunnus albacares ]) across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Five polymers (polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon-66) accounted for ~ 99% of the total NMP concentration detected in both species. Differences in NMP concentrations were observed between the two species, with body burdens often markedly lower in yellowfin tuna relative to dolphinfish within the same region or ocean basin. Polyethylene was the dominant polymer present in the muscle tissue of both species followed by nylon-66, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride. Spatial variation in polymer composition and NMP concentrations was observed, indicating that NMP signatures may serve as markers of an individual’s recent or integrated exposure history. No relationship between NMP body burden and trophic position was observed for either species, with trophic position of yellowfin tuna consistently higher than dolphinfish in nearly all regions examined despite displaying lower NMP concentrations. Our findings establish that NMPs are pervasive in the muscle tissue of higher-order predators in pelagic ecosystems across all three ocean basins.
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Researchers studied the occurrence of both macroplastics and microplastics in the stomach contents of juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea, examining how widespread plastic pollution in one of the world's most contaminated seas affects a commercially and ecologically important large predator.
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