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Microplastics in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Eastern Beaufort Sea
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Researchers partnered with Inuvialuit hunters in Canada's Northwest Territories to examine microplastic contamination in beluga whales from the Eastern Beaufort Sea. They found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of every whale sampled, with an average of 97 particles per individual and polyester fibers being the most common type. The diversity of plastic polymers and shapes found points to multiple contamination sources reaching even remote Arctic marine ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs, particles <5 mm) represent an emerging global environmental concern, having been detected in multiple aquatic species. However, very little is known about the presence of MPs in higher trophic level species, including cetaceans. We worked with community based monitors and Inuvialuit hunters from Tuktoyaktuk (Northwest Territories, Canada) to sample seven beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in 2017 and 2018. Microplastics were detected in the gastrointestinal tracts in every whale. We estimate that each whale contained 18 to 147 MPs in their GI tract (average of 97 ± 42 per individual). FTIR-spectroscopy revealed over eight plastic polymer types, with nearly half being polyester. Fibres made up 49% of MPs. The diversity of MP shapes and polymeric identities in beluga points to a complex source scenario, and ultimately raises questions regarding the significance and long-term exposure of this pollutant in this ecologically and culturally valuable species.
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Microplastics in beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) prey: An exploratory assessment of trophic transfer in the Beaufort Sea
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Researchers examined microplastic contamination in five fish species that are prey for beluga whales in the eastern Beaufort Sea of the Arctic. They found microplastics in 21% of fish examined, predominantly fibers, and estimated that individual beluga whales may ingest between 3,800 and 145,000 microplastic particles annually through their diet.
Microplastics in the Beaufort Sea Beluga Food Web
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Researchers examined the stomachs of seven beluga whales harvested in Arctic Canada and found microplastics in all of them. This is among the first studies documenting microplastic ingestion in cetaceans and raises concern about plastic contamination reaching top predators in remote Arctic food webs.
Microplastics in subsistence harvested bowhead whale stomach, colon, and muscle
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Researchers analyzed microplastics in stomach, colon, and muscle tissues from bowhead whales harvested by Alaska Natives for subsistence, aiming to characterize contamination in this ecologically and culturally important Arctic species. Microplastics were present across all sampled tissue types, raising concerns for both whale health and human dietary exposure through traditional harvesting.
From mesenteric lymph nodes to the rest of the body: Microplastic translocation and accumulation in subsistence harvested eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whales
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This study examined beluga whales caught for subsistence food in the eastern Chukchi Sea, looking at microplastics in their lymph nodes and other body tissues. Researchers studied whether tiny plastic particles move from the gut into the lymph system and spread to other parts of the body.
Arctic threads: Microplastic fibres in Chukchi and Beaufort sea sediments
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Researchers collected sediment samples from the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas in the Arctic and found microplastic fibers present at every sampling site. Synthetic fibers were the dominant type, likely originating from textiles and fishing activities transported by ocean currents. The study adds to growing evidence that even remote Arctic environments are not spared from microplastic contamination.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.