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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 have been found in the gastrointestinal (GI) fluid of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), inhabiting Sarasota Bay, FL, suggesting exposure by ingestion, possibly via contaminated fish. To better understand the potential for trophic transfer, muscle and GI tissues from 11 species of dolphin prey fish collected from Sarasota Bay were screened for microplastics (particles <5 mm diameter). Suspected microplastics were found in 82% of muscle samples (n=89), and 97% of GI samples (n=86). Particle abundance and shapes varied by species (p<0.05) and foraging habit (omnivore vs. carnivore, p<0.05). Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) had the highest particle abundance for both tissue types (muscle: 0.38 particles/g; GI: 15.20 particles/g), which has implications for dolphins as they are a common prey item. Findings from this study support research demonstrating the ubiquity of estuarine plastic contamination and underscore the risks of ingestion exposure for wildlife and potentially seafood consumers.
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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
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.
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.
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.
Extensive Microplastic Contamination in Southeastern Florida Forage Fishes
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Forage fish from four coastal sites in southeastern Florida contained high levels of microplastics, with contamination levels comparable to or exceeding those in larger predatory species, highlighting the importance of lower trophic levels as vectors for plastic in marine food webs.
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