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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to First report from North America of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
ClearMicroplastics in gastric samples from common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) residing in Sarasota Bay FL (USA)
Microplastics were detected in gastric samples from common bottlenose dolphins residing in Sarasota Bay, Florida, confirming that even marine mammals in a relatively studied coastal area are exposed to plastic debris. The results add to evidence that microplastics are widespread in the marine food web and that dolphins serve as useful sentinels for coastal pollution.
Microplastics in the stomach contents of common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) stranded on the Galician coasts (NW Spain, 2005–2010)
Researchers found microplastics in the stomach contents of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) stranded on Galician coasts between 2005 and 2010, providing the first record of microplastic presence in the digestive tracts of marine mammals from this region.
Plastic, It’s What’s for Dinner: A Preliminary Comparison of Ingested Particles in Bottlenose Dolphins and Their Prey
Researchers compared the types of microplastics found in the stomachs of bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, with those found in their prey fish. They found that 97% of prey fish contained suspected microplastics, primarily fibers in the gastrointestinal tract, but the particle types did not fully match those found in dolphin samples. The study suggests that contaminated prey may be one pathway for dolphin microplastic exposure, though additional sources likely contribute.
Evaluating the presence of microplastics in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in the Western Mediterranean Sea
Researchers analyzed three decades of intestinal content data from Western Mediterranean striped dolphins stranded over 30 years, finding microplastics in 90.5% of dolphins, making it one of the highest contamination rates reported in cetaceans.
Predicted microplastic uptake through trophic transfer by the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Researchers estimated daily microplastic ingestion via trophic transfer for two dolphin species in the Mediterranean Sea and Northeast Atlantic, calculating that common dolphins ingest up to 164 microplastics per day in the Mediterranean. The estimates highlight how plastic pollution accumulates through marine food webs and reaches apex predators.
Exploring microplastic contamination in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis): Insights into plastic pollution in the southwestern tropical Atlantic
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) stranded along the southwestern tropical Atlantic coast by analyzing stomach contents. The study found that most individuals were contaminated with microplastics, with polyurethane, PET, and EVA being the most common polymers, underscoring the widespread nature of plastic pollution in marine food webs.
An Analysis of Suspected Microplastics in the Muscle and Gastrointestinal Tissues of Fish from Sarasota Bay, FL: Exposure and Implications for Apex Predators and Seafood Consumers
Researchers analyzed muscle and gastrointestinal tissues of 11 fish species from Sarasota Bay, Florida, that are commonly eaten by bottlenose dolphins. They found suspected microplastics in 82% of muscle samples and 97% of gastrointestinal samples, suggesting widespread contamination. The findings raise concerns about microplastic transfer through the food chain to both marine predators and human seafood consumers.
Microplastic Occurrence in the Gastrointestinal Tract of a Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea
A stranded Risso's dolphin in the northeastern Mediterranean was found to contain 454 microplastic particles in its gastrointestinal tract. Fibers and fragments were the most common forms, including polypropylene and polyethylene. This case study documents microplastic ingestion by a cetacean species and contributes to growing evidence of widespread plastic contamination in Mediterranean marine mammals.
Preliminary Study on Microplastic Contamination in Black Sea Cetaceans: Gastrointestinal Analysis of Phocoena phocoena relicta and Tursiops truncatus ponticus
Researchers conducted a preliminary study of microplastic contamination in the gastrointestinal tracts of Black Sea harbor porpoises and bottlenose dolphins, documenting microplastic presence and characterizing particle types and polymer compositions.
A Quantitative Analysis of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Odontocetes in the Southeast Region of the United States
Researchers quantified microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of toothed whales from the southeastern United States. The study found microplastics present in all examined specimens, indicating that these marine mammals are routinely ingesting microplastic particles from their ocean environment.
Cetaceans and microplastics: First report of microplastic ingestion by a coastal delphinid, Sousa chinensis
Researchers reported the first documented case of microplastic ingestion by the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), finding microplastics in the intestinal contents of both adult and calf individuals. The findings indicate that both prey consumption and unintentional ingestion are likely exposure pathways for microplastic accumulation in this coastal cetacean species.
Microplastics in large marine animals stranded in the Republic of Korea
Researchers analyzed microplastics in the digestive tracts of 12 stranded marine animals in South Korea, including whales, porpoises, dolphins, and sea turtles, detecting microplastic contamination across all species examined between 2019 and 2021.
First evidence of microplastic inhalation among free-ranging small cetaceans
For the first time, researchers documented microplastic inhalation in wild dolphins by collecting breath samples from animals in Florida and Louisiana. Every dolphin tested had at least one microplastic particle in their exhaled breath. This finding is significant because if marine mammals are inhaling microplastics from ocean air, humans living and working near coastlines are likely exposed to similar airborne microplastic contamination.
Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory?
Researchers examined whole digestive tracts of 50 stranded marine mammals from 10 UK species and found microplastics in every animal (mean 5.5 particles). The low numbers and predominance in stomachs versus intestines suggest particles are largely transitory rather than accumulating permanently in marine mammal guts.
Microplastics in the digestive tract of an endangered cetacean of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: The franciscana dolphin
Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tract of La Plata dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei), an endangered cetacean of the Southwest Atlantic. The detection in this endangered species highlights plastic pollution as an additional threat alongside habitat degradation and bycatch.
Identification and characterization of plastic debris in the gastrointestinal tract of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) from Espírito Santo coast, Brazil
This study identified and characterized macro, meso, and microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of 12 Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) from southern Brazil. Plastic debris was detected in the majority of animals, with fibers and fragments as dominant types, highlighting the threat of plastic pollution to this vulnerable cetacean species.
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis identifies microplastics in stranded common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) from New Zealand waters
Researchers found microplastics in all 15 stranded common dolphins examined from New Zealand, averaging 7.8 pieces per stomach, with polyethylene terephthalate fibers and polypropylene fragments as the dominant polymer types and no correlation between MP load and biological parameters.
Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory?
Researchers examined the entire digestive tracts of 50 stranded marine mammals from 10 species around the British coast and found microplastics in every single animal. However, the relatively low particle counts suggest that microplastics may pass through the gut rather than accumulate permanently. The findings indicate that microplastic ingestion is ubiquitous among marine mammals, though the long-term health consequences remain unclear.
Microplastics Prevalence in Different Cetaceans Stranded along the Western Taiwan Strait
Researchers examined microplastic prevalence in nine stranded cetaceans of four species along the Western Taiwan Strait, including common dolphins and pygmy sperm whales. Microplastics were detected in the majority of animals, with fibers as the dominant type, highlighting widespread plastic ingestion by apex marine predators in this region.
Microplastics in the endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) from the Pearl River Estuary, China
Microplastic ingestion was investigated in Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) from Asian waters, a species rarely studied for plastic contamination. The study found microplastics in dolphin samples, providing rare data on microplastic exposure in a cetacean species from heavily polluted coastal Asian marine environments.
Compartment-wise distribution of microplastics from Indus River dolphins.
Researchers analysed the compartment-wise distribution of microplastics across anatomical regions of Indus River dolphins (Platanista minor), finding MPs throughout the complete gastrointestinal tract of five stranded individuals with an average of 286.4 MPs per individual. The distribution data illuminate the pathways of MP accumulation via prey consumption and incidental ingestion in this endangered species.
Microplastics and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Analysis in Sea Turtles and Bottlenose Dolphins along Mississippi’s Coast
Researchers analyzed gut contents of stranded bottlenose dolphins and sea turtles along Mississippi's coast and detected microplastics including polystyrene via Raman spectroscopy, along with PFOS at concentrations up to 1,934.5 µg/kg in dolphin stomach samples, highlighting co-exposure to plastics and persistent chemical pollutants in marine mammals.
First Evidence of Retrospective Findings of Microplastics in Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) From German Waters
Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from German waters using retrospective intestinal samples, providing among the first evidence of microplastic accumulation in this top predator cetacean species.
Microplastics in large whales occasionally found in German waters
Researchers examined microplastic occurrence in intestinal and fecal samples from 18 whales and dolphins stranded on German and Danish North Sea and Baltic Sea coastlines between 2016 and 2022, finding an average of 4.6 MPs in odontocetes and 3.3 MPs in mysticetes per sample, with polyamide and polyester the dominant polymers and equal proportions of fragments and fibers.