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Montoto-Martínez T, De la Fuente J, Puig-Lozano R, Marques N, Arbelo M, Hernández-Brito JJ, Fernández A, Gelado-Caballero MD. Microplastics, bisphenols, phthalates and pesticides in odontocete species in the Macaronesian Region (Eastern North Atlantic). Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 173:113105. [PMID: 34763181 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal contents of twelve individuals from six odontocete species that stranded between 2018 and 2019 in the Macaronesian Region (Eastern North Atlantic) were examined for the presence of marine debris. In addition, concentrations of eleven organic persistent contaminants (nonylphenols, bisphenols, phthalates and pesticides) were analysed in muscle samples by liquid chromatography. No particles larger than 5 mm were found, except for two plastic labels that were found on the same dolphin. On the contrary, all animals contained microplastics of diverse sizes, most of them being fibres (98.06%, n = 708). The predominant detected pollutants were bisphenols (4-984 ng/g) and DEHP (102-1533 ng/g). Also, except for two individuals, all animals had pesticide levels in their tissues. This work has allowed the establishment of a protocol for the study of microplastic ingestion in cetaceans, and tests the potential of microRaman to improve the understanding of microplastic alteration processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Montoto-Martínez
- Grupo de Investigación en Tecnologías, Gestión y Biogeoquímica Ambiental (TGBA), Departamento de Química, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Edificio de Ciencias Básicas, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - Jesús De la Fuente
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Centro Atlántico de Investigación de Cetáceos, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de Montaña de Cardones, 35415, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - Raquel Puig-Lozano
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Centro Atlántico de Investigación de Cetáceos, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de Montaña de Cardones, 35415, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - Nuno Marques
- Museu da Baleia da Madeira, Canical, Madeira, Portugal.
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Centro Atlántico de Investigación de Cetáceos, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de Montaña de Cardones, 35415, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - José Joaquín Hernández-Brito
- Grupo de Investigación en Tecnologías, Gestión y Biogeoquímica Ambiental (TGBA), Departamento de Química, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Edificio de Ciencias Básicas, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas, Spain; Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Carretera de Taliarte s/n, 35200, Telde, Gran Canaria, Spain.
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Centro Atlántico de Investigación de Cetáceos, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de Montaña de Cardones, 35415, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - María Dolores Gelado-Caballero
- Grupo de Investigación en Tecnologías, Gestión y Biogeoquímica Ambiental (TGBA), Departamento de Química, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Edificio de Ciencias Básicas, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas, Spain.
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Pantoja Munoz L, Gonzalez Baez A, McKinney D, Garelick H. Characterisation of "flushable" and "non-flushable" commercial wet wipes using microRaman, FTIR spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy: to flush or not to flush. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018; 25:20268-20279. [PMID: 29948681 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2400-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The introduction to the market of wet wipes, advertised and labelled as "flushable", has been the subject of controversy due to their perceived potential to block sewer systems as observed with other non-woven cloths such as traditional non-flushable wipes. Non-woven cloths that enter wastewater systems can find their way into the aquatic environment via wastewater effluents and it has been suggested that the breakdown of these fabrics can release materials such as microplastics into the environment. Worldwide research has revealed the alarming number of aquatic organisms affected by the presence of plastic debris in the aquatic environment harbouring a potential risk to humans through the introduction of microplastics into the food chains. However, the actual material composition of flushable wipes, their fate and impacts in the aquatic environment have not yet been scientifically studied. This paper investigates the fibre composition of flushable and non-flushable wipes, specifically with regard to synthetic polymer material, using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and microRaman spectroscopy along with fluorescence microscopy. The study demonstrated the presence of polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, (PET)), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene/vinyl acetate (PEVA/EVA) in some flushable wipes and PET in all non-flushable. Other polymers such us polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), expanded polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) were also identified as potential components in the flushable material. Hence, commercially available wet wipes labelled as flushable could also be considered as a possible source of microplastic fibres in the wastewater streams and, if not retained, in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Pantoja Munoz
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK.
| | - Alejandra Gonzalez Baez
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Deena McKinney
- External Affairs and Sustainability Education Team, Maple Lodge STW, Thames Water, Denham Way, Rickmansworts, Herts, WD3 9SQ, UK
| | - Hemda Garelick
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK
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