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Pinnipeds in Arctic Canada show no evidence of retained microplastic pollution
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Researchers examined the stomachs of 36 Canadian Arctic walrus and additional ringed seals for microplastic contamination, finding no evidence of retained microplastics in either species. The study provides the first assessment of microplastics in Canadian walrus, but notes that soft tissue sampling may miss particles that pass through the digestive system.
As the threat of plastic pollution continues to loom heavily over the global environment, the Arctic has drawn increasing research interest as a potential sink for debris. More specific to the Canadian Arctic, it is unclear whether marine mammals accumulate microplastics (MPs: 5mm). Pinnipeds, like walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida), are both ecologically and culturally significant, which poses a risk to northern food security. Here, I present the first assessment of MPs in Canadian walrus by examining the stomachs of 36 animals from Nunavut. Additionally, I expand on existing literature by evaluating the stomachs of 10 ringed seals from the Northwest Territories, Canada. I detected no MPs ≥ 80µm in any of the animals. This result suggests that walrus and seals in the Canadian Arctic either do not retain MPs or are not exposed to them, which is consistent with studies from similar regions.
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No microplastics detected in the first assessment of Atlantic walrus stomachs from Nunavut, Canada
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Examination of stomach contents from 36 Atlantic walruses harvested across five Inuit communities in Nunavut, Canada, found no microplastics at or above an 80 µm detection threshold — a surprising result given that walruses feed on benthic invertebrates in sediment known to accumulate microplastics elsewhere. The study represents the first global assessment of microplastic ingestion in walruses and suggests that at least some Arctic megafauna may not be significantly retaining microplastics, possibly due to digestive anatomy or regional pollution levels. The findings provide a useful baseline for tracking future changes as plastic pollution in the Canadian Arctic increases.
No accumulation of microplastics detected in western Canadian ringed seals (Pusa hispida)
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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.
Evidence of microplastic ingestion in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic.
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Researchers examined the stomachs of 30 ringed seals from Arviat and Resolute Bay, Nunavut, finding microplastics in 77% of them. Most particles were tiny fragments or fibers, with no clear link to the seals' sex, age, or size, providing baseline data for future pollution monitoring in the Arctic.
Understanding the occurrence and fate of microplastics in coastal Arctic ecosystems: The case of surface waters, sediments and walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)
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This holistic study examined microplastics in Arctic surface waters, sediments, and walrus tissues in coastal Svalbard, detecting plastics across all compartments and documenting for the first time microplastic occurrence in walrus gastrointestinal tracts.
Plastic ingestion, retention, and transport in animals from the eastern Canadian Arctic
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This Canadian PhD research examined plastic ingestion and retention in seals and seabirds from the eastern Canadian Arctic, collecting 142 seal stomachs and using seabird fecal samples across multiple communities. Researchers found no evidence of accumulated plastic in seal stomachs, suggesting low plastic exposure during Arctic foraging, while seabird data provided complementary evidence on plastic transport through the food web. The study addresses gaps in understanding plastic pollution in high Arctic wildlife.
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