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      Investigating microplastic trophic transfer in marine top predators

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      nelms et al 2018.pdf (674.8Kb)
      Date
      2018-02-21
      Author
      Nelms, SE
      Galloway, TS
      Godley, BJ
      Jarvis, DS
      Lindeque, PK
      Date issued
      2018-02-21
      Journal
      Environmental Pollution
      Type
      Article
      Language
      en
      Publisher
      Elsevier
      Links
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29477242
      Rights
      © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
      Abstract
      Microplastics are highly bioavailable to marine organisms, either through direct ingestion, or indirectly by trophic transfer from contaminated prey. The latter has been observed for low-trophic level organisms in laboratory conditions, yet empirical evidence in high trophic-level taxa is lacking. In natura studies face difficulties when dealing with contamination and differentiating between directly and indirectly ingested microplastics. The ethical constraints of subjecting large organisms, such as marine mammals, to laboratory investigations hinder the resolution of these limitations. Here, these issues were resolved by analysing sub-samples of scat from captive grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and whole digestive tracts of the wild-caught Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) they are fed upon. An enzymatic digestion protocol was employed to remove excess organic material and facilitate visual detection of synthetic particles without damaging them. Polymer type was confirmed using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Extensive contamination control measures were implemented throughout. Approximately half of scat subsamples (48%; n = 15) and a third of fish (32%; n = 10) contained 1-4 microplastics. Particles were mainly black, clear, red and blue in colour. Mean lengths were 1.5 mm and 2 mm in scats and fish respectively. Ethylene propylene was the most frequently detected polymer type in both. Our findings suggest trophic transfer represents an indirect, yet potentially major, pathway of microplastic ingestion for any species whose feeding ecology involves the consumption of whole prey, including humans.
      Funders/Sponsor
      SN was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council [NE/L002434/1]. PL and TG acknowledge funding from the Natural Environment Research Council discovery grant (NE/L007010).
      Description
      This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.
      Citation
      DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.016
      DOI
      https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.016
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10871/32089
      ISSN
      0269-7491
      Collections
      • Biosciences
      Place of publication
      England

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