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No accumulation of microplastics detected in western Canadian ringed seals (Pusa hispida)
Summary
Researchers examined stomach contents of ten ringed seals (Pusa hispida) harvested from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the western Canadian Arctic and detected no microplastic particles of 80 micrometers or larger, suggesting limited microplastic accumulation in this species despite the Arctic acting as a potential sink for anthropogenic debris.
Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) play a crucial role in Arctic food webs as important pelagic predators and represent an essential component of Inuvialuit culture and food security. Plastic pollution is recognized as a global threat of concern, and Arctic regions may act as sinks for anthropogenic debris. To date, mixed evidence exists concerning the propensity for Canadian Arctic marine mammals to ingest and retain plastic. Our study builds on existing literature by offering the first assessment of plastic ingestion in ringed seals harvested in the western Canadian Arctic. We detected no evidence of microplastic (particles ≥80 μm) retention in the stomachs of ten ringed seals from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) in the Northwest Territories, Canada. These results are consistent with previous studies that have found that some marine mammals do not accumulate microplastics in evaluated regions.