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Protocol for a Scoping Review of Microplastics in Marine Mammals
Summary
This study is a research plan (not results yet) for reviewing existing science on microplastic pollution in whales, dolphins, and seals, which act as living "sensors" for plastic contamination in our oceans. Since these animals eat seafood that humans also consume, understanding how much plastic they're exposed to, and how it's currently measured, can help scientists figure out potential risks to the seafood supply and, ultimately, human health. The review won't reveal new findings, but it will map out what we know and don't know, guiding better research going forward.
Background: Pollution of the environment by microplastics is a growing global concern.Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5mm that come from a wide variety of sources including physical breakdown of larger plastics into smaller pieces over time in the environment as well as from direct production of small plastic pieces for use in cosmetics, toy fillings, cleaning agents, and many industrial processes.Recent studies have documented the presence of microplastics in wild animal and human stool samples (Liebmann 2018) as well as food, posing a potential human and environmental health risk.Marine mammals have been suggested as a potential indicator species for the amount of microplastics present in marine environments (Perez-Venegas, 2018).The few studies that have looked into the presence of microplastics in marine mammals have primarily looked for larger particle sizes, studied animals in captivity, and used acid digestion methods that likely deteriorated plastics of certain polymer types.In this review, we will explore the available literature to determine what we currently know about microplastic pollution in marine environments used by marine mammals, its effect on the health of marine mammals, and help direct future research into this topic.Objectives: The focus of the literature review will be to compile and compare previously published data in the literature about the amounts, types, and sizes of microplastics found within tissues/fecal/gastric samples of different marine mammal species, prey items, and/or geographic regions.This will help us evaluate whether certain marine mammal species or populations may be at risk due to differing feeding strategy or differences in environmental exposure patterns.Factors evaluated when reviewing this literature will include QA/QC procedures followed, analysis/digestion methods used, plastic sizes and shapes evaluated for and found, plastic types found, type of sample/tissue evaluated, species evaluated, wild/captive status, feeding strategy, and geographical location.We will compile this information to determine where future research should be directed.Design: Primary literature including stranding data on microplastics in marine mammals, their primary prey items, and key geographical locations will be considered for inclusion.The process for selection and inclusion of the studies will be reported in a flow chart according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis(PRISMA).The results will be summarized in tables and charts describing study types, method of analysis, limits of detection, plastic types found, samples evaluated, species evaluated, geographical location and other population demographics.