Evaluating exposure of northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus, to microplastic pollution through fecal analysis
| Autor: | R. R. (Rolf R.) Ream, Julie Masura, Darren T. Lerner, Jason D. Baker, Thomas S. Gelatt, Kayleigh Faulhaber, Mary J. Donohue |
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| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Microplastics Range (biology) Zoology 010501 environmental sciences Aquatic Science Oceanography 01 natural sciences Predation Dietary Exposure Feces Marine debris Animals 0105 earth and related environmental sciences biology 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology Fur Seals biology.organism_classification Pollution United States Callorhinus ursinus Bioaccumulation Fur seal Plastics Water Pollutants Chemical |
| Zdroj: | Marine pollution bulletin. 138 |
| ISSN: | 1879-3363 |
| Popis: | Environmental microplastics are widely documented in marine life and bioaccumulation may present risks to marine predators. Investigations of microplastics in marine mammals are increasing, though none have examined animals routinely consumed by humans. Here, we investigate microplastic exposure in the northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), a species consumed by humans, using fecal material. We examined 44 feces (scat) at sites encompassing the seals' eastern Pacific range. Multiple contamination control measures were implemented, including field and laboratory controls. Fragments were the most common microplastic recovered, in 55% (24/44) of scat and no controls (range 1 to 86 fragments/scat, mean 16.6, sd 19.1). Microplastic fibers were recovered from 41% of scats (18/44), though some controls contained fibers confounding fiber results. Fecal analysis documented northern fur seal exposure to microplastics throughout their eastern Pacific range. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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