Detection of microplastic particles in scats from different colonies of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in the Gulf of California, Mexico: A preliminary study.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 186: 114433, 2023 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36495612
ABSTRACT
Microplastics (MPs, < 5 mm in size) are highly bioavailable to many taxa within the marine ecosystem, either ingested directly or indirectly through trophic transfer from polluted prey. The ingestion analysis of these MPs from top predators, such as pinnipeds in Mexico, is relatively unexplored. Forty-eight scats from California sea lions were collected on six rookeries along the Gulf of California. From these scat samples, 294 suspected MPs particles were classified and chemically analyzed; 34% were synthetic and semi-synthetic, and 66% were non-synthetic. Blue-colored polyethylene terephthalate fibers were the most common type of MP registered. During laboratory work, multiple contamination control measures were implemented. Although the ingestion pathway is still unknown, our results support the other authors that suggest the potential trophic transfer of MPs to top predators and incidental ingestion while foraging. The particles documented here provide important baseline information for future MP research in the Gulf of California.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Caniformia
/
Sea Lions
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Mexico
Language:
En
Journal:
Mar Pollut Bull
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
/
GB
/
GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
/
SCOTLAND
/
UK
/
UNITED KINGDOM