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Matter of fac(ies)t? - Microplastic findings in stranded cetaceans along the German coastlines
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Researchers analyzed faeces and gastrointestinal tracts from 21 cetaceans stranded along German North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts between 2016 and 2021, including the 2016 bachelor sperm whale stranding event, using washing machine cleaning, Nile Red staining, fluorescence microscopy, and µFTIR spectroscopy. Multiple polymer types were identified including polyester, polyolefins, polyamide, and polyethylene across both toothed and baleen whale species.
Microplastics occur in marine habitats worldwide. They have been reported from locations as remote and pristine as the Arctic and Antarctic, beyond organisms of several trophic levels. Microplastic ingestion in animals can either happens intentionally or by accident. The microplastic size plays an important role in ingestion as it may correspond to the preferred prey size of predator species. Besides, microplastic transfer and accumulation within the trophic food web are considered as a main factor of plastic exposure in apex species like marine mammals. This study investigated samples of faeces and gastrointestinal tracts of 21 cetaceans stranded along the German North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts between 2016 and 2021. This includes the big stranding event of bachelor sperm whales in 2016 (N = 13) in the North Sea, but also other toothed whale species as well as four baleen whales. All samples were processed after an established cleaning protocol using a conventional washing machine, followed by Nile Red staining and fluorescence microscopy. The subsequent µFTIR spectroscopy of suspected anthropogenic particles then identified microplastic polymer types. A variety of polymer types of the isolated particles could be revealed (e.g., Polyester, Polyolefine, Polyamide, and Polyethylene). Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427077/document
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Microplastics in large whales occasionally found in German waters
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Researchers examined microplastic occurrence in intestinal and fecal samples from 19 large whales stranded on German and Danish coasts between 2016 and 2022, using Nile Red staining, fluorescence microscopy, and µFTIR spectroscopy for particle identification. They found an average of 4.6 MPs per individual in odontocetes and 3.3 MPs in mysticetes, with polyamide and polyester as the dominant polymer types and an equal ratio of fragments to fibers.
Microplastics in large whales occasionally found in German waters
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Researchers examined microplastic occurrence in intestinal and fecal samples from 18 whales and dolphins stranded on German and Danish North Sea and Baltic Sea coastlines between 2016 and 2022, finding an average of 4.6 MPs in odontocetes and 3.3 MPs in mysticetes per sample, with polyamide and polyester the dominant polymers and equal proportions of fragments and fibers.
When the small ones tease the largest: Microplastic and phthalate ester occurrence in cetaceans occasionally found in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea
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Seven cetacean species stranded on Germany's North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts were examined for microplastics and phthalate esters, with microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals detected in intestinal and fecal samples across baleen and toothed whale species alike.
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis identifies microplastics in stranded common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) from New Zealand waters
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Researchers found microplastics in all 15 stranded common dolphins examined from New Zealand, averaging 7.8 pieces per stomach, with polyethylene terephthalate fibers and polypropylene fragments as the dominant polymer types and no correlation between MP load and biological parameters.
Assessing microplastic pollution in marine mammals: evidence from three cetacean species in the southeastern Black Sea
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts of three cetacean species from the southeastern Black Sea, finding particles in all seven individuals studied. Fiber-shaped microplastics were the most common type, and polymer analysis identified polyester and polyamide as the dominant materials. The study adds to growing evidence that marine mammals accumulate microplastics through the food chain, raising concerns about the health of top ocean predators.
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