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Plastic ingestion, retention, and transport in animals from the eastern Canadian Arctic
Summary
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.
Plastic and microplastic pollution has been recognized as a global concern. I aimed to assess the retention and transport of plastic pollution in the Canadian Arctic using two important animals from the Arctic ecosystem: seals and seabirds. First, I examined 142 seal stomachs from four communities in the eastern Canadian Arctic to identify whether seals are accumulating plastics in their stomachs. No evidence of accumulated plastic debris in seal stomachs was found, suggesting that seals in the eastern Canadian Arctic are likely not exposed to plastics during foraging. Second, the faecal precursors of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) were examined to identify if these birds are excreting microplastics in their guano. Anthropogenic particles were found in both species, however, there was no relationship between the microplastic particles in the faecal precursors and plastic debris found in the stomachs of the same birds.