Ingestion of plastics and microplastics by marine organisms may have physical and toxicological noxious effects creating a serious threat to marine species. There is a need to develop methods to evaluate the plastic exposure in free-ranging marine wildlife particularly related to microplastic ingestion. To this aim, seven phthalate esters (PAEs) were analysed, as plastic tracers, in neustonic/planktonic samples and skin biopsy samples of four cetacean species from the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Among all phthalates, the highest frequency of detection was obtained from DEHP (78.9%), followed in descending order by MBzP (57.9%), MEHP and BBzP (both 52.6%), DIOIP (47.4%) and MBP and DNHP (both 42.1%). All 19 superficial tows analysed presented microplastic debris, confirming the widespread distribution of microplastics on the seawater surface in the Mediterranean Sea. The abundance of the smallest items (<0.5 mm) found in the samples was significantly correlated with MEHP, MBzP and BBzP, while the abundance of 0.5-1 mm and 2.5-5 mm items were related to BBzP and MBP, respectively. Regarding the PAEs, detected in the neustonic/planktonic samples correlated with microplastics (MEHP, MBzP, BBzP and MBP), appreciable levels of these compounds were found in all the four cetacean species. The present results represent a step forward in the application of a new non-invasive analytical method to evaluate PAEs as tracers of plastic exposure/ingestion in marine wildlife.

First detection of seven phthalate esters (PAEs) as plastic tracers in superficial neustonic/planktonic samples and cetacean blubber / Baini, Matteo; Martellini, Tania; Cincinelli, Alessandra; Campani, Tommaso; Minutoli, Roberta; Panti, Cristina; Finoia, Maria Grazia; Fossi, Maria Cristina. - In: ANALYTICAL METHODS. - ISSN 1759-9660. - STAMPA. - 9:(2017), pp. 1512-1520. [10.1039/c6ay02674e]

First detection of seven phthalate esters (PAEs) as plastic tracers in superficial neustonic/planktonic samples and cetacean blubber

MARTELLINI, TANIA;CINCINELLI, ALESSANDRA;
2017

Abstract

Ingestion of plastics and microplastics by marine organisms may have physical and toxicological noxious effects creating a serious threat to marine species. There is a need to develop methods to evaluate the plastic exposure in free-ranging marine wildlife particularly related to microplastic ingestion. To this aim, seven phthalate esters (PAEs) were analysed, as plastic tracers, in neustonic/planktonic samples and skin biopsy samples of four cetacean species from the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Among all phthalates, the highest frequency of detection was obtained from DEHP (78.9%), followed in descending order by MBzP (57.9%), MEHP and BBzP (both 52.6%), DIOIP (47.4%) and MBP and DNHP (both 42.1%). All 19 superficial tows analysed presented microplastic debris, confirming the widespread distribution of microplastics on the seawater surface in the Mediterranean Sea. The abundance of the smallest items (<0.5 mm) found in the samples was significantly correlated with MEHP, MBzP and BBzP, while the abundance of 0.5-1 mm and 2.5-5 mm items were related to BBzP and MBP, respectively. Regarding the PAEs, detected in the neustonic/planktonic samples correlated with microplastics (MEHP, MBzP, BBzP and MBP), appreciable levels of these compounds were found in all the four cetacean species. The present results represent a step forward in the application of a new non-invasive analytical method to evaluate PAEs as tracers of plastic exposure/ingestion in marine wildlife.
2017
9
1512
1520
Baini, Matteo; Martellini, Tania; Cincinelli, Alessandra; Campani, Tommaso; Minutoli, Roberta; Panti, Cristina; Finoia, Maria Grazia; Fossi, Maria Cristina
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1080065
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