Microplastics ingestion and chemical pollutants in seabirds of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain)

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 186; p. 114434
• Main Authors: Navarro, Alberto, Luzardo, Octavio Pérez, Gómez, May, Acosta-Dacal, Andrea, Martínez, Ico, Felipe de la Rosa, Jorge, Macías-Montes, Ana, Suárez-Pérez, Alejandro, Herrera, Alicia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2023
• Subjects: Animals; Birds; Canary Islands; Eating; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Microplastics; Organic pollutants; Pesticides - analysis; Plastic ingestion; Plastics; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Seabirds; Spain; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Waterbirds; Spain; Seabirds; Canary Islands; Organic pollutants; Waterbirds; Plastic ingestion
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114434

Plastic pollution constitutes an environmental problem in the Canary Islands nowadays. Nevertheless, studies evaluating the impact of plastics on its avifauna are still scarce. Gastrointestinal tracts of 88 birds belonging to 14 species were studied for the presence of plastics. Moreover, their livers were analyzed for the determination of bromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Among Cory's shearwaters (n = 45), the frequency of occurrence of plastic ingestion was considerably high (88.89 %). This species had the highest mean value of items (7.22 ± 5.66) and most of them were compatible with lines derived from fishing gear. PCBs and PAHs were detected in all of the samples and OCPs in the great majority of them (98.86 %). Our results highlight the problems that plastic debris (mainly for seabirds) and organic pollutants pose to these species. •Plastic ingestion and hepatic chemical pollutants were studied in 88 birds of 14 species.•High frequency of plastic ingestion in Calonectris borealis and Oceanodroma castro and lower in Larus michahellis.•High proportion of plastics derived from fishing gear.•Detection of PCBs and PAHs in all birds.