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Negligible Impact of Ingested Microplastics on Tissue Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Northern Fulmars off Coastal Norway
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This study compared persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations in northern fulmars from Norwegian waters that had ingested different amounts of plastic and found no significant relationship between plastic ingestion and POP tissue levels. The results suggest that in this species, plastic is not a meaningful vector for transferring additional chemical pollution beyond what the birds already accumulate through their diet.
The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is defined as an indicator species of plastic pollution by the Oslo-Paris Convention for the North-East Atlantic, but few data exist for fulmars from Norway. Moreover, the relationship between uptake of plastic and pollutants in seabirds is poorly understood. We analyzed samples of fulmars from Norwegian waters and compared the POP concentrations in their liver and muscle tissue with the corresponding concentrations in the loads of ingested plastic in their stomachs, grouped as "no", "medium" (0.01-0.21 g; 1-14 pieces of plastic), or "high" (0.11-0.59 g; 15-106 pieces of plastic). POP concentrations in the plastic did not differ significantly between the high and medium plastic ingestion group for sumPCBs, sumDDTs, and sumPBDEs. By combining correlations among POP concentrations, differences in tissue concentrations of POPs between plastic ingestion subgroups, fugacity calculations, and bioaccumulation modeling, we showed that plastic is more likely to act as a passive sampler than as a vector of POPs, thus reflecting the POP profiles of simultaneously ingested prey.
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Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic
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Researchers investigated organic and inorganic co-contaminants associated with ingested microplastics in northern fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes from the Canadian Arctic, finding that fulmars had higher levels of microplastic contamination and plastic-additive organic compounds than kittiwakes, and examining the extent to which ingested microplastics act as transport vectors for persistent organic pollutants and trace metals.
Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic
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Researchers analyzed the co-contaminants of microplastics ingested by northern fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes from the Canadian Arctic, finding that fulmars had higher plastic loads and greater concentrations of plastic additive compounds, while kittiwakes had higher legacy persistent organic pollutants. Fulmars with larger foraging ranges carried the highest overall contaminant burdens, suggesting they act as long-range transport vectors for plastic-associated pollution.
Plastic as a Carrier of POPs to Aquatic Organisms: A Model Analysis
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Researchers developed a model to evaluate whether microplastic acts as a meaningful carrier of persistent organic pollutants to aquatic organisms. The analysis suggests that in both laboratory and open marine systems, microplastic ingestion is more likely to slightly decrease bioaccumulation of pollutants rather than increase it, and the differences are too small to be relevant for risk assessment.
Transfer of Additive Chemicals From Marine Plastic Debris to the Stomach Oil of Northern Fulmars
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Researchers mixed a marine litter-derived microplastic reference material with northern fulmar stomach oil in laboratory experiments, finding that plastic additives readily transferred into the oil, suggesting this is a real pathway for seabirds to accumulate plastic chemicals.
Plastic burdens in northern fulmars from Svalbard: Looking back 25 years.
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Researchers analyzed plastic ingestion in northern fulmars from Svalbard in the Arctic and compared results to data from 25 years ago. They found that plastic burdens in fulmars have not decreased over time despite growing awareness of the issue, with many birds still exceeding ecological threshold levels. The findings demonstrate that plastic pollution in Arctic marine environments remains a persistent and unresolved problem.
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