We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
First data on plastic ingestion by blue sharks (Prionace glauca) from the Ligurian Sea (North-Western Mediterranean Sea)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found plastic ingestion in blue sharks (Prionace glauca) from the Ligurian Sea in the North-Western Mediterranean, providing the first data on plastic litter in this critically endangered Mediterranean shark species and characterizing the types and sizes of ingested debris.
Few studies have focused so far on plastic ingestion by sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. The aim of this paper was to determine, for the first time, the plastic litter ingested by blue sharks (Prionace glauca), categorized as "Critically Endangered" in the Mediterranean Sea by IUCN, caught in the Pelagos Sanctuary SPAMI (North-Western Mediterranean Sea). The analysis of the stomach contents was performed following the MSFD Descriptor 10 standard protocol implemented with FT-IR spectroscopy technique. The results showed that 25.26% of sharks ingested plastic debris of wide scale of sizes from microplastics (<5 mm) to macroplastics (>25 mm). The polyethylene sheetlike user plastics, widely used as packaging material, are the most ingested debris. This research raises a warning alarm on the impact of plastic debris on a threatened species, with a key role in the food web, and adds important information for futures mitigation actions.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic contamination and risk assessment in blue shark (Prionace glauca) from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and characteristics in the digestive tracts of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and conducted a risk assessment for microplastic pollution in this pelagic apex predator. The study found microplastics in 39.1% of specimens — predominantly blue fibers sized 46 to 3,220 micrometers — with similar abundance across sexes, indicating widespread exposure of blue sharks to microplastic pollution in open ocean environments.
Microplastics ingestion by deep-water catsharks "Galeus melastomus" and "Scyliorhinus canicula" (Chondrichthyes) in the Tyrrhenian sea (Western Mediterranean Sea)
AI summary Read the abstract
Deep-water catsharks (Galeus melastomus and Scyliorhinus canicula) in the Tyrrhenian Sea were found to ingest microplastic debris, demonstrating that plastic pollution has penetrated deep-sea shark habitats in the Western Mediterranean.
Evidence of microplastic ingestion in the shark Galeus melastomus Rafinesque, 1810 in the continental shelf off the western Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found microplastics in the stomachs of 17% of blackmouth catsharks sampled around the Balearic Islands, with ingestion associated with stomach fullness. The finding extends documented microplastic ingestion to a deep-sea shark species and suggests that plastic contamination affects predators at higher trophic levels in Mediterranean waters.
Investigating the effects of microplastic ingestion in Scyliorhinus canicula from the South of Sicily
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of small-spotted catsharks from Sicilian waters, documenting ingestion rates and polymer types and highlighting the vulnerability of sharks as marine predators to microplastic accumulation through the food chain.
High prevalence of microplastics in the digestive tract of Scyliorhinus canicula (Linneaus, 1758) shows the species biomonitoring potential
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed different types of plastics in the digestive tracts of female small-spotted catsharks (Scyliorhinus canicula) caught in Mediterranean waters. The study found high prevalence of plastic ingestion in this demersal shark species, documenting the types and quantities of plastic particles present.
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.