First record of plastic debris in the stomach of Mediterranean lanternfishes

This study highlights for the first time the presence of plastic debris in the stomachs of Mediterranean lanternfishes (Myctophidae): Electrona risso, Diaphus metopoclampus, Hygophum benoiti and Myctophum punctatum. Samples were collected in the central Mediterranean Sea between 2010 and 2014. Plastics ingested belonged to small microplastics (0.2 - 2 mm), large microplastics (2 - 5 mm) and mesoplastics (5 - 25 mm), having mainly clear colors. Their frequency of occurrence in stomachs was equal to 2.7%, but it increases to 5.8% if only migratory species are considered. The higher number of plastics was found in E. risso and H. benoiti (5 in both species). The plastic ingestion may represent a risk for vertical migrant lanternfishes due to the increase in buoyancy. Ecotoxicological aspects linked to the potential effects of contaminants on lanternfish biology and to the transfer of pollutants throughout the marine trophic web up to top predators should be deepened

Pelagic cephalopods of the central Mediterranean Sea determined by the analysis of the stomach content of large fish predators

The pelagic cephalopod fauna of the central Mediterranean Sea was investigated through stomach content analyses of large fish predators. A total of 124 Xiphias gladius, 22 Thunnus thynnus, 100 Thunnus alalunga, and 25 Tetrapturus belone were analyzed. Overall, 3,096 cephalopods belonging to 23 species and 16 families were identified. The cephalopod fauna in the study area is dominated by Sepiolidae, Ommastrephidae, and Onychoteuthidae. The sepiolid Heteroteuthis dispar was the most abundant species (n = 1,402) while the ommastrephid Todarodes sagittatus showed the highest biomass. They can be considered key-species in the pelagic food web of the study area. The neutrally buoyant Histioteuthis bonnellii, H. reversa, and Chiroteuthis veranyi seem to characterize the deeper water layers. Given the difficulty in sampling pelagic cephalopods, the presence of cephalopod beaks in the stomach of predators represents a fundamental tool to assess the biodiversity and the ecological importance of these taxa in the marine ecosystem

Prvi zapis o plastičnim krhotinama u želucu mediteranskih riba žaboglavki (Myctophidae)

This study highlights for the first time the presence of plastic debris in the stomachs of Mediterranean lanternfishes (Myctophidae): Electrona risso, Diaphus metopoclampus, Hygophum benoiti and Myctophum punctatum. Samples were collected in the central Mediterranean Sea between 2010 and 2014. Plastics ingested belonged to small microplastics (0.2 - 2 mm), large microplastics (2 - 5 mm) and mesoplastics (5 - 25 mm), having mainly clear colors. Their frequency of occurrence in stomachs was equal to 2.7%, but it increases to 5.8% if only migratory species are considered. The higher number of plastics was found in E. risso and H. benoiti (5 in both species). The plastic ingestion may represent a risk for vertical migrant lanternfishes due to the increase in buoyancy. Ecotoxicological aspects linked to the potential effects of contaminants on lanternfish biology and to the transfer of pollutants throughout the marine trophic web up to top predators should be deepened.Ova studija ističe po prvi put prisutnost plastičnih otpadaka u želucima mediteranskih žaboglavki. (Myctophidae): Electrona risso, Diaphus metopoclampus, Hygophum benoiti i Myctophum punctatum. Uzorci su prikupljeni u središnjem Mediteranu u periodu između 2010. i 2014. godine. Progu tane čestice plastike pripadaju maloj mikroplastici (0,2-2 mm), velikoj mikroplastici (2-5 mm) i mezoplastici (5-25 mm), te su uglavnom jasnih boja. Njihova učestalost pojavljivanja u probavilima iznosila je 2.7%, dok je kod migratornih vrsta iznosila 5.8%. Veći broj čestica plastike pronađen je kod vrsta E. risso i H. benoiti (5 po vrsti). Gutanje plastike može predstavljati rizik za vertikalne migratore iz porodice žaboglavki zbog povećanja uzgona. Potrebno je produbiti istraživanja ekotoksikoloških aspekata povezanih s mogućim učincima zagađivala na biologiju žaboglavki, kao i onih povezanih s prijenosom zagađivala kroz trofičku mrežu u moru sve do glavnih grabežljivaca

First evidence of presence of plastic debris in stomach of large pelagic fish in the Mediterranean Sea

This study focuses, for the first time, on the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of large pelagic fish (Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus alalunga) caught in the Mediterranean Sea between 2012 and 2013. Results highlighted the ingestion of plastics in the 18.2% of samples. The plastics ingested were microplastics (<5 mm), mesoplastics (5-25 mm) and macroplastics (>25 mm). These preliminary results represent an important initial phase in exploring two main ecotoxicological aspects: (a) the assessment of the presence and impact of plastic debris on these large pelagic fish, and (b) the potential effects related to the transfer of contaminants on human health. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Which marine debris do the Mediterranean megafauna prefer?

Marine debris can harm biodiversity in different ways, ingestion is one of the most noxious impact on marine organisms and it has been documented in highly polluted areas such as the Mediterranean Sea. However, the published data are not collected homogeneously and this makes it difficult to make a comparison among different species and studies. The objective of this study is to implement and apply a standardized protocol for the quantification and characterization of marine debris in five Mediterranean megafauna species to properly evaluate the rate of marine debris ingestion and to obtain information about the sources of ingested debris. Gastro intestinal content of 85 bluefin tunas (Thynnus thynnus), 84 swordfishs (Xiphias gladius), 95 blue sharks (Prionace glauca), 76 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and 13 sperm whales (Physeter microcephalus) were sampled along the Italian coast. GI tract were examined for the analysis of ingested marine debris following the MSFD Descriptor 10 standard protocol developed for sea turtles. An additional analysis was performed to better understand the composition and origin of the debris ingested, using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy technique. Marine debris was found in all the five species with a percentage of occurrence ranging from 9.5% in swordfish to 76.9% in sperm whale. The characterization and the polymers analysis provide useful information about the sources of marine debris. The polyethylene and polypropylene sheet like user plastics, widely used as packaging material, are the most ingested debris in all species investigated. The results achieved constitutes an important advancement in the knowledge of this issue in the Mediterranean Sea and provide the background information for future mitigation measures

Microplastiche in top predator: il caso del pescespada in Mediterraneo

L’evidente incremento del marine litter in Mediterraneo è confermato dalla presenza di plastica in numerose specie ittiche commerciali. Il pescespada (Xiphias gladius, Linnaeus 1758), predatore di vertice del sistema pelagico, rappresenta una specie chiave da monitorare al fine di valutare l’entità del fenomeno dell’ingestione e trasferimento delle plastiche nella catena trofica, considerato che recenti studi hanno riportato la presenza di litter nei contenuti stomacali. I rifiuti marini ritrovati nei contenuti stomacali di 15 esemplari di pescespada sono stati dapprima suddivisi per categoria di litter in accordo alle Linee Giuda della Strategia Marina, forma e colore attraverso osservazione macroscopica e successivamente identificati attraverso l’utilizzo della spettroscopia infrarossa (FTIR). Dall’analisi degli spettri è emerso che l’80% del litter ritrovato è costituito da plastica. Nel 50% degli esemplari il polimero identificato è il Polietilene meglio noto come PE che oggi rappresenta il 40% del volume totale della produzione mondiale di materiale plastico. Il restante 50% è invece costituito dal polipropilene (PP). In due esemplari sono stati anche ritrovati i polimetacrilati (PMMA), comunemente conosciuti con il nome commerciale di plexiglas. La composizione delle plastiche ritrovate nel pescespada rispecchia le tipologie di plastiche maggiormente presenti in ambiente marino. Il pescespada quale predatore opportunista al vertice della catena trofica e specie migratoria rappresenta un valido bioindicatore nell’ecosistema marino da poter utilizzare in attività di monitoraggio al fine di contribuire al raggiungimento dei traguardi ambientali della Strategia Marina relativi al Descrittore 10 marine litter

Intestinal alterations in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) exposed to microplastics: Preliminary results

This study investigates, for the first time, the intestinal responses of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax chronically exposed to microplastics through ingestion. Fish (n = 162) were fed with 3 different treatment diets for 90 days: control, native polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polluted polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pellets. Intestines were fixed and processed for histological analysis using standard techniques. Histopathological alterations were examined using a score value (from 0 to 4). The distal part of intestine in all samples proved to be the most affected by pathological alterations, showing a gradual change varying from moderate to severe related to exposure times. The histological picture that characterizes both groups especially after 90 days of exposure, suggests that the intestinal functions can be in some cases totally compromised. The worst condition is increasingly evident in the distal intestine of fish fed with polluted PVC pellets respect to control groups (p < 0.05) to different exposure times. These first results underline the need to assess the impact of increasing microplastics pollution on the marine trophic web

Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts (GITs) of the Common Dolphinfish, Coryphaena Hippurus, from the Western Mediterranean Sea

Plastics are the most common marine litter typology found on the beaches and seafloor or floating on the sea surface and water column. When these plastic items reach micro size (<5 mm) they are commonly known as microplastics (MPs)

Feeding habits of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (L. 1758), in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina)

The study of feeding habits of the Atlantic bluefin tuna was carried out in 123 specimens, ranging from 115 to 222 cm fork length (FL) and collected during spring seasons of 2010 and 2011 in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina). The analysis of stomach contents allowed us to identify 91 taxa of prey items, mainly belonging to Teleostea (54), Cephalopoda (20) and Crustacea (13). The percentage of index of relative abundance (IRI) shows the highest values for the myctophid Hygophum benoiti (%IRI = 22.854) and the stomiid Chauliodus sloani (%IRI = 15.124), followed by the oegopsid squid Illex coindetii (%IRI = 14.316). The broad spectrum of prey items could suggest a generalist behavior of this predator, with several species that occasionally occurs in its diet. However, if prey are grouped into food categories, the importance of mesopelagic and benthopelagic fishes can be appreciated (54.41 % of %IRI). The assessment of the hypothetical foraging rhythm of the Atlantic bluefin tuna highlighted that its feeding activity is concentrated on diel migrating fauna during night and on larger preys upon daylight. The predation on the high-energetic food as mesopelagic and bathypelagic fishes during the pre-spawning and the spawning period may bring an energetic advantage in tuna metabolism and gonadal maturation

Coupling Gastro-Intestinal Tract Analysis With an Airborne Contamination Control Method to Estimate Litter Ingestion in Demersal Elasmobranchs

This study aims to assess the litter ingestion in some demersal elasmobranchs, combining a classical gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) analysis with a procedure methodology to reduce airborne fibers contamination. In order to prevent the overestimation of litter ingestion, we applied severe mitigation measures to avoid airborne contamination during the analyses, integrating a new approach for the correction of estimates of fibers abundance using control procedure. In this study, we assessed the anthropogenic litter ingestion in four elasmobranch species from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea: Scyliorhinus canicula (n = 27), Etmopterus spinax (n = 16), Galeus melastomus (n = 12), and Raja clavata (n = 6). The GIT of each specimen was analyzed by visual sorting and the polymers identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique. Overall, 19 litter particles were found in the GIT of 13 demersal elasmobranchs (%O = 21) and for the first time, evidence of litter ingestion by R. clavata in Mediterranean waters was also reported. In G. melastomus and R. clavata all anthropogenic particles were plastics, whereas in S. canicula other litter categories were also found. No litter ingestion was instead observed in E. spinax. More than 50% of litter particles belonged to microlitter category (<5 mm). Polyamide was the only polymer typology found in all examined species. We described the procedures to control the airborne contamination applied at each step of laboratory analysis and, thanks to the application of our control method, it was possible to exclude the 95% of fibers found in samples from the assessment. Moreover, we compared fibers abundances observed in samples and controls. This study, combining an approach for minimizing the bias associated to airborne fiber contamination, provided a reliable assessment of marine litter ingestion in demersal elasmobranchs