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Physiological and Toxicological Effects of Nano/Microplastics on Marine Birds
Summary
This chapter reviews the physiological and toxicological effects of nano/microplastics on marine seabirds, which are recognized as bioindicators for plastic pollution due to their role as apex predators and their extensive exposure through foraging. The authors document starvation, reproductive failure, diminished body weight, and tissue damage in seabirds from plastic ingestion, calling for improved waste management policies to reduce plastic accumulation in marine environments.
Micro/nano plastics are emerging as a severe threat to marine birds/ environment worldwide due to anthropogenic litter. Increase in production of microplastics combined with inefficient waste management has led to its bioaccumulation in the marine environment. Marine sea birds are known bioindicators for plastic pollution as they get absorbed and accumulated in the tissues of these birds. Negative effects of microplastics on marine sea birds are based on toxicological consequences that can be observed due to their ingestion like starvation, suffocation, and entanglement. In the majority of cases, these microplastics are easily taken up by birds which results in disturbance in their physiology like skin lesions, diminished body weight, fledgling success, and reproductive output. In conclusion, this chapter demonstrates the current status and effect of microplastic on the marine ecosystem related to at-risk species of sea birds which will help create awareness in regard to waste management policies and advanced technologies present to reduce plastics in the marine environment.