Assessment of microplastics and other contaminants in marine vertebrates from the Western Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean marine biodiversity is under threat by pollution. For this reason, the main objective of this thesis was to analyse the presence of pollutants of concern in Mediterranean marine species. These studies are located in the Valencian Community (Spain), where we find loggerhead turtles, striped dolphins, and jewel lanternfish. Hence, we: 1. Analysed pesticides, heavy metals and phthalates in tissues of loggerhead turtles. 2. Studied microdebris present in beaches that are sporadically used as nesting grounds by loggerhead turtles. 3. Analysed striped dolphins# exposure to microplastics. 4. Quantified jewel lanternfish exposure to microplastics and tested their role as bioindicators of microplastic pollution in the bathypelagic environment. Results indicate the ubiquity of all the analysed pollutants. Pesticide analyses showed that all the analysed loggerheads (N=25) were exposed to 39 pesticides, of which 38.5% are forbidden in the EU. Results indicated low heavy metal burden. Mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Hg were 0.04 μg/g., 0.09 μg/g. and 0.03 μg/g w.w. in fat and 0.05 μg/g, 0.08 μg/g and 0.04 μg/g w.w. in muscle. The juvenile size could account for these low concentrations. Seven phthalate metabolites in turtles were detected in more than 85% of the samples (DR>85%). The sum of the median concentration of the phthalate metabolites that had DR>85%, showed a negative correlation with size and also a significant increase in concentration from 2020 onwards; possibly explained by an increase in single-use plastic, or by uncontrolled wastewater discharges. Microdebris in beaches was ubiquitous although concentrations were not of concern for the success of loggerhead turtle clutches. In July, total mean±SD was 5.66 ± 3.66 MPs/kg at surface and 12.15 ± 7.76 MPs/kg at depth; while in November values were 6.45 ± 4.42 MPs/kg at surface and 5.51 ± 3.14 MPs/kg at depth. There were no significant differences among beaches, months, depths nor protection regime. Polymers found were commonly used in consumer goods and tires.MPs were present in 90.5% of the striped dolphins (N=43), although amount per dolphin was low and variable (median = 5, range = 0 - 82). Polyacrylamide, PET and HDPE were the most common polymers. MPs concentration from different periods of time (1989 # 2007/2010#2017) or locations were not different. Finally, the jewel lanternfish, (N=97), showed high frequency of occurrence of MPs, although a low body burden. Size and body condition were not correlated with the number of MPs. To sum up, an overview of the pollutants in the westernmost part of the Mediterranean Sea is provided, focusing on the aforementioned species and highlighting their potential as bioindicators

Microplastics in <i>Lampanyctus crocodilus</i> (Risso 1810, Myctophidae), a Common Lanternfish Species from the Ibiza Channel (Western Mediterranean)

Microplastics’ presence in the pelagic environment is still largely unknown due to the difficulty of sampling in this part of the ocean. In this study, we quantify microplastics’ exposure in a pelagic lanternfish species from the western Mediterranean, Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso 1810), which occupies an intermediate position in the marine food web. L. crocodilus were captured in the Ibiza Channel by a trawling vessel and microplastics were extracted by digestion of their gastrointestinal systems. Almost half of the analysed lanternfish contained microplastics, mostly blue and black fibres (40.9% and 34.66%, respectively). In fishes with at least one microplastic, the median was 3 MPs/fish (CI 95% = 3.46–6.8), similar to other studies performed in other fish species in the area. Biometric parameters of fish, such as total length and body condition, were not correlated with the number of microplastics. Data presented here contribute to quantifying the severity of microplastic pollution in the pelagic environment and in a wild, non-commercial species

Nikotinposer - indhold og miljøkonsekvenser

Posemateriale og indhold. Nikotinposer er typisk fremstillet af en form for semi-syntetisk cellulose (såsom viskose fleece) hvortil der er tilsat et bindemiddel i form af en (bionedbrydelig) polymer, som smelter ved opvarmning og dermed forsegler posens kanter. Indholdet i poserne består ifølge produkternes varedeklarationer af nikotin, stabilisatorer og fortykningsmidler, pH regulerende midler, fugtmidler, smagsstoffer, sødemidler og konserveringsmidler. Ifølge studier beskrevet i litteraturen er der desuden påvist indhold af formaldehyd og ammonium i nogle nikotinposer.Nikotinposer som mulig del af plastforurening. Nikotinposernes semi-syntetiske cellulose-baserede materiale har FTIR-spektre som er sammenlignelige med vådservietter, engangskarklude og cigaretfiltre, som består af henholdsvis viskose og celluloseacetat. Den største grad af lighed mellem spektre blev observeret for cigaretfiltre. På trods af, at cellulose er et naturligt og forholdsvis nedbrydeligt materiale, så vil modifikationer af denne grad påvirke materialets egenskaber og miljøskæbne herunder nedbrydelighed. Af samme grund kan nikotinposer, ligesom cigaretfiltre, potentielt anses som værende en form for semi-syntetisk polymer og dermed ’plast’. Dog er der en flydende overgang fra naturlige til syntetiske polymerer, hvilket udfordrer en entydig kategorisering af forskellige semi-syntetiske materialer, herunder brugte nikotinposer, som værende plastaffald. Nikotinposers miljøskæbne under miljørelevante forhold bør undersøges yderligere og bortskaffelse i naturen bør uanset minimeres.Risiko for mennesker og miljø. Generelle helbredsrisici ved påtænkt brug af nikotinposer indgår ikke i denne rapport, men referencer til relevante kilder fremgår af teksten. I stedet diskuteres potentielle effekter i miljøet. Nikotinposer udgør en potentiel risiko for dyr ved indtagelse. Der findes eksempler på nikotinforgiftning af hunde som har ædt henkastede brugte nikotinposer. Grundet forventet langsom nedbrydning under miljørealistiske forhold kan der over tid ske en akkumulering af nikotinposer i miljøet. Langsigtede konsekvenser af dette, samt risiko for nikotinforgiftning af dyr i naturen, bør undersøges nærmere.Nikotinposer i kontekst af genanvendelse og cirkulær økonomi. Bortskaffelse af tomme nikotinpose dåser med brugte nikotinposer udgør et potentielt problem i forhold til genanvendelse. Dåsen er ofte fremstillet af polypropylen og kan genanvendes. Dog skal de brugte nikotinposer, som opsamles i låget, bortskaffes separat. Dvs. at dåserne skal tømmes inden de sorteres som plastaffald. Det er dog plausibelt at dette ikke altid sker, og at 1) dåserne ikke tømmes inden de sorteres som plastaffald eller 2) dåserne bortskaffes i restaffald. Forbrugsvaner i forhold til bortskaffelse bør undersøges nærmere og behovet for yderligere oplysning af forbrugere kan overvejes på denne baggrund.Fremtidige undersøgelser. Henkastede nikotinposer er et stigende problem grundet stigende forbrug kombineret med uhensigtsmæssig forbrugeradfærd. På trods af at de fleste nikotinposer bliver opsamlet og bortskaffet korrekt, ender en fraktion stadig i miljøet. Fremtidige undersøgelser af brugen af nikotinposer blandt den danske befolkning kan med fordel inkludere spørgsmål om adfærd i forhold til bortskaffelse, for på denne måde at få et estimat af omfanget af henkastede nikotinposer i naturen og i det offentlige rum. Dette kan også give et forbedret grundlag for vurdering af eventuelle miljøkonsekvenser – både af posemateriale men også posernes indhold herunder nikotin

Phthalate metabolites in loggerhead marine turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Mediterranean Sea (East Spain region)

The exposure of marine reptiles to phthalates has received considerable attention due to the ubiquitous occurrence of these contaminants in the marine environment. The occurrence of phthalate metabolites is established in human populations and marine mammals, but data is scarce for marine reptiles. In this study, concentrations of 18 phthalate metabolites were determined in liver samples from 79 loggerhead marine turtle (Caretta caretta) samples collected between 2016 and 2021 in the limits of the Valencian Community (East Spain). For this purpose, the phthalate metabolites were purified from the livers by solid phase extraction and were quantified by UPLC-MS/MS. Fifteen phthalate metabolites were detected in the samples. Monoethyl phthalate (mEP), monomethyl phthalate (mMP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP), phthalic acid (PA) and mono-n-hexyl phthalate (mHxP) were the most abundant metabolites, accounting for detection rates >85%. The highest median concentrations were found for PA (24.2 ng/g dry weight, d.w.) and mHxP (20.3 ng/g d.w.) followed by mMP (12.0 ng/g d.w.), mEP (5.76 ng/g d.w.) and mBP (4.26 ng/g d.w.). The sum of the medians of these five phthalate metabolites (Σ5PhMet) indicated that concentrations were higher for turtles during year 2020, while a negative association was found between [Σ5PhMet] and the turtle size. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the biomonitoring of 18 phthalate metabolites in loggerhead marine turtles, and results show that western Mediterranean loggerhead turtles are usually exposed to these contaminants