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Monitoring the occurrence of microplastic ingestion in Otariids along the Peruvian and Chilean coasts

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2020 81 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina Félix Ayala, Alberto Jorquera, Mauricio A. Urbina, Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Mauricio A. Urbina, Félix Ayala, Alberto Jorquera, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio Seguel, Mauricio A. Urbina, Constanza Toro‐Valdivieso, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Beatriz Brito, Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Mauricio A. Urbina, Félix Ayala, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Beatriz Brito, Doris Oliva, Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Doris Oliva, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina, Lunna Iturra, Lunna Iturra, Mauricio A. Urbina Maite Arriagada, Mauricio A. Urbina, Maite Arriagada, Mauricio Seguel, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Carmen Barrios, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina, Carmen Barrios, Diego Pérez‐Venegas, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Maritza Sepúlveda, Susana Cárdenas‐Alayza, Susana Cárdenas‐Alayza, Doris Oliva, Mauricio A. Urbina, Susana Cárdenas‐Alayza, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina Félix Ayala, Mauricio A. Urbina Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina Alberto Jorquera, Alberto Jorquera, Eduardo Castro‐Nallar, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mauricio A. Urbina

Summary

Researchers monitored microplastic ingestion in four pinniped species across five sites along the Peruvian and Chilean coasts by analyzing 205 scat samples, finding that 68% contained microplastic fragments or fibers — predominantly blue-colored — and that 81.5% were confirmed anthropogenic in origin.

Study Type Environmental

Repeated reports of microplastic pollution in the marine pinniped diet have emerged in the last years. However, only few studies address the drivers of microplastics presence and the potential implications for monitoring microplastic pollution in the ocean. This study monitored their in the scats (N = 205) of four pinniped species/subspecies at five different locations in the southern Pacific Ocean (Peru and Chile). Samples from all rookeries contained microplastics, and overall, 68% of the examined scats contained fragments/fibers, mostly blue colored. We confirmed that 81.5% of the fragments/fibers were anthropogenic in origin , but only 30% were polymers. Scats from Juan Fernández Archipelago presented higher microplastic concentrations than continental rookeries. Also, the common diet in each location may influence the levels found in the samples. This study presents a useful non-invasive technique to track plastic pollution in top predator diets as bioindicators for future surveillance/management plans applied to different location.

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