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Bhattacharjee S, Rathore C, Naik A, Saha M, Tudu P, Dastidar PG, Bhattacharyya S, de Boer J, Chaudhuri P. Do microplastics accumulate in penguin internal organs? Evidence from Svenner island, Antarctica. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175361. [PMID: 39117209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) in natural environments presents a formidable global environmental threat MPs can be found from the Arctic to Antarctica, including glaciers. Despite their widespread distribution, studies on MP accumulation in apex predators inhabiting Polar Regions remain limited. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive examination, for the first time, of MP bioaccumulation in various organs and tissue of Adélie penguins. This investigation comprehends the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), scat, internal organ (lung, trachea, spleen, and liver) and tissue (muscle) samples collected from Svenner Island, Antarctica during the 39th Indian expedition to Antarctica in 2019-2020. Our analyses revealed the presence of 34 MPs across the GIT, scat, lung, and trachea samples, with no MPs detected in muscle, spleen, or liver tissues. Blue-colored microfibers (>50 %) and MPs smaller than 1 mm (38 %) in size were prominently observed. Polymer characterization utilizing μ-FTIR spectroscopy identified low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (~63 %) as the predominant polymer type. The accumulation of MP fibers in the gastrointestinal tract and scat of Adélie penguins may originate from marine ambient media and prey organisms. Furthermore, the presence of LDPE fibers in the trachea and lungs likely occurred through inhalation and subsequent deposition of MPs originating from both local and long-range airborne sources. The identification of fibers ranging between 20 and 100 μm within the trachea suggests a plausible chance of cellular deposition of MPs. Overall our findings provide valuable insights into the organ-specific accumulation of MPs in apex predators. Adélie penguins emerge as promising environmental bio-monitoring species, offering insights into the potential trophic transfer of MPs within frigid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrayan Bhattacharjee
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India
| | - Chayanika Rathore
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Akshata Naik
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
| | - Mahua Saha
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Praveen Tudu
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India
| | - Prabir Ghosh Dastidar
- SGT University, Budhera, Gurugram, Delhi NCR, India; Polar Science Division, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, New Delhi, India.
| | | | - Jacob de Boer
- Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Punarbasu Chaudhuri
- Department of Environment Science, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India
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Brander SM, Senathirajah K, Fernandez MO, Weis JS, Kumar E, Jahnke A, Hartmann NB, Alava JJ, Farrelly T, Almroth BC, Groh KJ, Syberg K, Buerkert JS, Abeynayaka A, Booth AM, Cousin X, Herzke D, Monclús L, Morales-Caselles C, Bonisoli-Alquati A, Al-Jaibachi R, Wagner M. The time for ambitious action is now: Science-based recommendations for plastic chemicals to inform an effective global plastic treaty. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174881. [PMID: 39047828 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The ubiquitous and global ecological footprint arising from the rapidly increasing rates of plastic production, use, and release into the environment is an important modern environmental issue. Of increasing concern are the risks associated with at least 16,000 chemicals present in plastics, some of which are known to be toxic, and which may leach out both during use and once exposed to environmental conditions, leading to environmental and human exposure. In response, the United Nations member states agreed to establish an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, the global plastics treaty. The resolution acknowledges that the treaty should prevent plastic pollution and its related impacts, that effective prevention requires consideration of the transboundary nature of plastic production, use and pollution, and that the full life cycle of plastics must be addressed. As a group of scientific experts and members of the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, we concur that there are six essential "pillars" necessary to truly reduce plastic pollution and allow for chemical detoxification across the full life cycle of plastics. These include a plastic chemical reduction and simplification, safe and sustainable design of plastic chemicals, incentives for change, holistic approaches for alternatives, just transition and equitable interventions, and centering human rights. There is a critical need for scientifically informed and globally harmonized information, transparency, and traceability criteria to protect the environment and public health. The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment must be upheld, and thus it is crucial that scientists, industry, and policy makers work in concert to create a future free from hazardous plastic contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne M Brander
- Oregon State University, Dept. Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation Sciences; Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Newport, OR, USA.
| | - Kala Senathirajah
- School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Marina O Fernandez
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Judith S Weis
- Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Eva Kumar
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annika Jahnke
- Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Nanna B Hartmann
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Juan José Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Trisia Farrelly
- School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University, New Zealand
| | - Bethanie Carney Almroth
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Ksenia J Groh
- Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kristian Syberg
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Johanna Sophie Buerkert
- Centre for Climate Change Law and Governance, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amila Abeynayaka
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Lyngby, Denmark; Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | | | - Xavier Cousin
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, INRAE, Palavas, France
| | - Dorte Herzke
- NILU & Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Oslo, Norway
| | - Laura Monclús
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Rana Al-Jaibachi
- Department of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Wagner
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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McMullen K, Calle P, Alvarado-Cadena O, Kowal MD, Espinoza E, Domínguez GA, Tirapé A, Vargas FH, Grant E, Hunt BPV, Pakhomov EA, Alava JJ. Ecotoxicological Assessment of Microplastics and Cellulose Particles in the Galápagos Islands and Galápagos Penguin Food Web. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:1442-1457. [PMID: 38695731 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution threatens some of the world's most iconic locations for marine biodiversity, including the remote Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Using the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) as a sentinel species, the present study assessed microplastics and suspected anthropogenic cellulose concentrations in surface seawater and zooplankton near Santa Cruz and Galápagos penguin colonies (Floreana, Isabela, Santiago), as well as in penguin potential prey (anchovies, mullets, milkfish) and penguin scat. On average, 0.40 ± 0.32 microplastics L-1 were found in surface seawater (<10 μm; n = 63 L), while 0.003, 0.27, and 5.12 microplastics individual-1 were found in zooplankton (n = 3372), anchovies (n = 11), and mullets (n = 6), respectively. The highest concentration (27 microplastics individual-1) was observed in a single milkfish. Calculations based on microplastics per gram of prey, in a potential diet composition scenario, suggest that the Galápagos penguin may consume 2881 to 9602 microplastics daily from prey. Despite this, no microplastics or cellulose were identified in 3.40 g of guano collected from two penguins. Our study confirms microplastic exposure in the pelagic food web and endangered penguin species within the UNESCO World Heritage site Galápagos Islands, which can be used to inform regional and international policies to mitigate plastic pollution and conserve biodiversity in the global ocean. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1442-1457. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karly McMullen
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paola Calle
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Omar Alvarado-Cadena
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Matthew D Kowal
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eduardo Espinoza
- Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Program, Galapagos National Park Directorate (Dirección del Parque Nacional Galápagos), Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
| | - Gustavo A Domínguez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Ana Tirapé
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | | | - Edward Grant
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Brian P V Hunt
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Evgeny A Pakhomov
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Juan José Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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McMullen K, Vargas FH, Calle P, Alavarado-Cadena O, Pakhomov EA, Alava JJ. Modelling microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in the Galápagos penguin ecosystem using Ecopath and Ecosim (EwE) with Ecotracer. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296788. [PMID: 38265981 PMCID: PMC10807758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of anthropogenic particles are crucial factors in assessing microplastic impacts to marine ecosystems. Microplastic pollution poses a significant threat to iconic and often endangered species but examining their tissues and gut contents for contaminant analysis via lethal sampling is challenging due to ethical concerns and animal care restrictions. Incorporating empirical data from prey items and fecal matter into models can help trace microplastic movement through food webs. In this study, the Galápagos penguin food web served as an indicator species to assess microplastic bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential using trophodynamic Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) modelling with Ecotracer. Empirical data collected from surface seawater near Galápagos penguin colonies, zooplankton, penguin prey, and penguin scat in October 2021 were used to inform the ecosystem model. Multiple scenarios, including a 99% elimination rate, were employed to assess model sensitivity. Model predictions revealed that microplastics can bioaccumulate in all predator-prey relationships, but biomagnification is highly dependent on the elimination rate. It establishes the need for more research into elimination rates of different plastics, which is a critical missing gap in current microplastic ecotoxicological and bioaccumulation science. Compared to empirical data, modelling efforts underpredicted microplastic concentrations in zooplankton and over-predicted concentrations in fish. Ultimately, the ecosystem modelling provides novel insights into potential microplastics' bioaccumulation and biomagnification risks. These findings can support regional marine plastic pollution management efforts to conserve native and endemic species of the Galápagos Islands and the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karly McMullen
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Paola Calle
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Omar Alavarado-Cadena
- Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Evgeny A. Pakhomov
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Juan José Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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