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Are baleen whales exposed to the threat of microplastics? A case study of the Mediterranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Marine Pollution Bulletin2012
562 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 45
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristina Panti,
Letizia Marsili,
Cristina Panti,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Daniele Coppola,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Daniele Coppola,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Daniele Coppola,
Daniele Coppola,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Daniele Coppola,
Daniele Coppola,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Daniele Coppola,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Daniele Coppola,
Cristina Panti,
Daniele Coppola,
María Cristina Fossi
Daniele Coppola,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristina Panti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Matteo Giannetti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Matteo Giannetti,
María Cristina Fossi
Matteo Giannetti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Matteo Giannetti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Matteo Giannetti,
Roberta Minutoli,
Letizia Marsili,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Daniele Coppola,
Daniele Coppola,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristina Panti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Letizia Marsili,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Letizia Marsili,
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
Matteo Giannetti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Letizia Marsili,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
Letizia Marsili,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Letizia Marsili,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Roberta Minutoli,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristina Panti,
Cristina Panti,
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Cristiana Guerranti,
Cristina Panti,
María Cristina Fossi
María Cristina Fossi
Summary
This case study estimated how many microplastics Mediterranean fin whales and basking sharks might ingest through filter feeding, using feeding rate data and measured microplastic concentrations. The study raised concern that large filter feeders accumulate significant plastic loads and that the associated chemical burden from sorbed pollutants may pose health risks to these protected species.
Baleen whales are potentially exposed to micro-litter ingestion as a result of their filter-feeding activity. However, the impacts of microplastics on baleen whales are largely unknown. In this case study of the Mediterranean fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), we explore the toxicological effects of microplastics on mysticetes. The study included the following three steps: (1) the collection/count of microplastics in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Mediterranean Sea), (2) the detection of phthalates in surface neustonic/planktonic samples, and (3) the detection of phthalates in stranded fin whales. A total of 56% of the surface neustonic/planktonic samples contained microplastic particles. The highest abundance of microplastics (9.63 items/m(3)) was found in the Portofino MPA (Ligurian Sea). High concentrations of phthalates (DEHP and MEHP) were detected in the neustonic/planktonic samples. The concentrations of MEHP found in the blubber of stranded fin whales suggested that phthalates could serve as a tracer of the intake of microplastics. The results of this study represent the first warning of this emerging threat to baleen whales.