Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic
Through ingestion and subsequent egestion, Arctic seabirds can bioaccumulate microplastics at and around their colony breeding sites. While microplastics in Arctic seabirds have been well documented, it is not yet understood to what extent these particles can act as transport vehicles for plastic-as...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Environmental Science and Ecotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266649842200045X |
| _version_ | 1811222526365270016 |
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| author | Roxana Sühring Julia E. Baak Robert J. Letcher Birgit M. Braune Amila de Silva Cody Dey Kim Fernie Zhe Lu Mark L. Mallory Stephanie Avery-Gomm Jennifer F. Provencher |
| author_facet | Roxana Sühring Julia E. Baak Robert J. Letcher Birgit M. Braune Amila de Silva Cody Dey Kim Fernie Zhe Lu Mark L. Mallory Stephanie Avery-Gomm Jennifer F. Provencher |
| author_sort | Roxana Sühring |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Through ingestion and subsequent egestion, Arctic seabirds can bioaccumulate microplastics at and around their colony breeding sites. While microplastics in Arctic seabirds have been well documented, it is not yet understood to what extent these particles can act as transport vehicles for plastic-associated contaminants, including legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), trace metals, and organic additives. We investigated the occurrence and pattern of organic and inorganic co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic — northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). We found that fulmars had higher levels of plastic contamination and emerging organic compounds (known to be plastic additives) than kittiwakes, whereas higher concentrations of legacy POPs were found in kittiwakes than the fulmars. Furthermore, fulmars, the species with the much larger foraging range (∼200 km), had higher plastic pollution and overall contaminant burdens, indicating that birds may be acting as long-range transport vectors for plastic-associated pollution. Our results suggest a potential connection between plastic additive contamination and plastic pollution burdens in the bird stomachs, highlighting the importance of treating plastic particles and plastic-associated organic additives as co-contaminants rather than separate pollution issues. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:17:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-18fbaf7d173245c0a694dc86927ef643 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-4984 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:17:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Science and Ecotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-18fbaf7d173245c0a694dc86927ef6432022-12-22T03:40:44ZengElsevierEnvironmental Science and Ecotechnology2666-49842022-10-0112100189Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian ArcticRoxana Sühring0Julia E. Baak1Robert J. Letcher2Birgit M. Braune3Amila de Silva4Cody Dey5Kim Fernie6Zhe Lu7Mark L. Mallory8Stephanie Avery-Gomm9Jennifer F. Provencher10Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson University), 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada; Corresponding author.Department of Natural Resource Science, McGill University, Sainte Anne de Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, CanadaEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, CanadaEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, CanadaAquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, CanadaEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, CanadaEcotoxicology & Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, CanadaInstitut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, G5L 3A1, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6, CanadaEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, CanadaEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, CanadaThrough ingestion and subsequent egestion, Arctic seabirds can bioaccumulate microplastics at and around their colony breeding sites. While microplastics in Arctic seabirds have been well documented, it is not yet understood to what extent these particles can act as transport vehicles for plastic-associated contaminants, including legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), trace metals, and organic additives. We investigated the occurrence and pattern of organic and inorganic co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic — northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). We found that fulmars had higher levels of plastic contamination and emerging organic compounds (known to be plastic additives) than kittiwakes, whereas higher concentrations of legacy POPs were found in kittiwakes than the fulmars. Furthermore, fulmars, the species with the much larger foraging range (∼200 km), had higher plastic pollution and overall contaminant burdens, indicating that birds may be acting as long-range transport vectors for plastic-associated pollution. Our results suggest a potential connection between plastic additive contamination and plastic pollution burdens in the bird stomachs, highlighting the importance of treating plastic particles and plastic-associated organic additives as co-contaminants rather than separate pollution issues.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266649842200045XPlastic contaminantsContaminants of emerging arctic concernArcticSeabirdsPFASOPEs |
| spellingShingle | Roxana Sühring Julia E. Baak Robert J. Letcher Birgit M. Braune Amila de Silva Cody Dey Kim Fernie Zhe Lu Mark L. Mallory Stephanie Avery-Gomm Jennifer F. Provencher Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic Environmental Science and Ecotechnology Plastic contaminants Contaminants of emerging arctic concern Arctic Seabirds PFAS OPEs |
| title | Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic |
| title_full | Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic |
| title_fullStr | Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic |
| title_short | Co-contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the Canadian Arctic |
| title_sort | co contaminants of microplastics in two seabird species from the canadian arctic |
| topic | Plastic contaminants Contaminants of emerging arctic concern Arctic Seabirds PFAS OPEs |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266649842200045X |
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