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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory?
ClearMicroplastics 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.
Marine mammals and microplastics: A systematic review and call for standardisation
Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of marine mammals in all but one of 30 studies reviewed, with 0-88 particles per animal, and were detected in pinniped scat in 8 of 10 studies, though considerable methodological inconsistencies make cross-study comparisons difficult.
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.
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.
Occurrence of Microplastics in Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) and Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) from German Waters
The gastrointestinal tracts of 63 harbour and grey seals from German North Sea and Baltic Sea waters were examined for microplastics, with 540 suspected particles identified in intestinal samples and 228 in stomach samples, predominantly fibers and fragments. No significant correlations were found between microplastic presence and parasite infestation or inflammatory responses, though fragments showed evidence of retention in the gut.
Documentation of Microplastics in Tissues of Wild Coastal Animals
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in organs and tissues of fish, seabirds, and marine and terrestrial mammals from a polluted coastal area near Bergen, Norway. They found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts and other organs of multiple species, with polymer types and concentrations varying across animals. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic accumulation in wild coastal species relevant to human food chains.
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.
Microplastics in the digestive tracts of 7 whale species
Researchers examined microplastic pollution in the digestive tracts of 12 individual whales across seven species, including freshwater and nearshore species. The study characterized microplastic pollution levels and types across different parts of the digestive system, providing data on how large marine mammals are exposed to microplastic contamination.
Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel
Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of both pelagic and demersal fish species and found microplastics in individuals from both groups, suggesting that microplastic ingestion occurs across fish species regardless of their position in the water column.
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.
Microplastic Extraction from Marine Vertebrate Digestive Tracts, Regurgitates and Scats: A Protocol for Researchers from All Experience Levels
This paper presents a standardized protocol for extracting and identifying microplastics from the digestive systems of marine vertebrates (mammals, birds, turtles, and fish). Having consistent, accessible methods is essential for generating comparable data on how much plastic wildlife across different species and regions are ingesting.
Incidence of marine debris in cetaceans stranded and bycaught in Ireland: Recent findings and a review of historical knowledge
This study examined stranded and bycaught cetaceans in Ireland and found plastic debris — including microplastics — in a substantial portion of the animals, with ingestion increasing over the sampling period. The findings highlight that marine mammals in Atlantic waters face growing exposure to plastic pollution.
Microplastics in grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) intestines: Are they associated with parasite aggregations?
Microplastics were found throughout the intestines of grey seals caught as bycatch off the Irish coast, but no clear link was found between microplastic presence and parasite infections. This adds to evidence that marine mammals are regularly exposed to microplastics through their diet.
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.
First report from North America of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
This study reported the first North American case of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of stranded bottlenose dolphins, finding particles in the majority of animals examined. The detection of microplastics in apex marine predators like dolphins indicates that plastic contamination has penetrated far up the marine food chain.
Tissue-specific microplastic burden in cetacean non-digestive organs
Researchers analyzed microplastic accumulation in non-digestive tissues of nearshore and offshore cetacean species and found widespread contamination, with detection rates exceeding 75% across organs including heart, liver, and lung. The characteristics of microplastics varied more between tissue types than between species, suggesting that organ physiology influences particle accumulation patterns. The study emphasizes the importance of examining multiple tissues to understand the full extent of microplastic pollution in marine mammals.
Microplastic accumulation, depuration dynamics and localization in environmental compartments: combination of experimental set ups and field studies
Researchers used microcosm experiments to track microplastic accumulation, depuration, and tissue localization in marine organisms under environmentally relevant conditions. The study found that organisms can accumulate and partially depurate microplastics, with particle retention varying by tissue type and particle size.
Size and dynamics of microplastic in gastrointestinal tracts of Northern Fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) and Sooty Shearwaters ( Ardenna grisea )
Researchers examined microplastic in the gastrointestinal tracts of 143 Northern Fulmars and 25 Sooty Shearwaters stranded on Oregon and Washington beaches, finding plastic in 89.5% and 64% of birds respectively, with larger particles concentrated in the stomach's upper chamber and no significant reduction in plastic load in birds held in a plastic-free rehabilitation environment for up to seven days.
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 in patagonian marine mammals: where do they come from and what is their fate once ingested?
Researchers investigated the sources and fate of microplastics ingested by Patagonian marine mammals, examining tissue distribution and accumulation pathways to understand how these particles move through the bodies of apex predators in southern ocean ecosystems.
Microplastics 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.
Marine litter: trends and impacts in marine fauna
This review synthesizes evidence on marine litter sources, distribution, and ecological impacts, with particular focus on microplastics as a pervasive contaminant across all marine habitats. It finds that microplastics threaten marine life through ingestion, entanglement, and chemical transport, with impacts spanning trophic levels from plankton to large marine mammals.
Toward an Improved Understanding of the Ingestion and Trophic Transfer of Microplastic Particles: Critical Review and Implications for Future Research
A comprehensive review of over 800 species found that while microplastics are routinely found in the digestive tracts of aquatic organisms, they do not appear to bioaccumulate or biomagnify through food webs, with over 99% of observations locating particles in the gastrointestinal tract rather than tissues. The review calls for more standardized sampling and reporting to enable better temporal and spatial trend analysis.
Occurrence of microplastics in commercial fish from a natural estuarine environment
Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of commercial fish caught from a natural estuarine environment and found microplastics in a significant proportion of individuals, documenting both occurrence rates and particle characteristics.