From mudflats and saltpans to Open Sea: Plastic ingestion and PBDE/MeO-BDE accumulation in Waterbirds from southern Portugal

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 214, P. 117727 - 117727

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

Plastic ingestion greatly affects waterbirds, causing lacerations and potentially leading to health disruptions from chemical leaching. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants in plastics, remain persistent the environment despite restrictions, along with less studied methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs), that may result their transformation. Since most plastic pollution heavily impacted marine comes terrestrial sources, freshwater/estuarine coastal environments can also be exposed contamination. Nonetheless, research these areas remains limited. We breeding waterbird community Ria Formosa (Algarve, Portugal) a proxy of such contamination sampled wader species feeding mudflats saltpans, little terns lagoon channels adjacent sea, opportunistic gulls mostly on fishery discards landfills foraging exclusively at sea. Specifically, we assessed 1) ingestion, through analysis regurgitations faeces, 2) MeO-BDES uptake eggs, feathers, preen oil. Results showed that, overall, microplastics were commonly detected particles. Yellow-legged (Larus michahellis) (Sternula albifrons) ingested more particles, especially fibres. Eggs black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) yellow-legged gull had higher concentrations, while MeO-BDEs did not differ among species. Feathers exhibited low detection values, but suggests invertebrates' consumption. Little accumulated MeO-BDEs, suggesting an association between load. However, species-specific traits, dietary preferences, should taken into consideration.

Language: Английский

Use of anthropogenic debris as nesting materials in a south-Mediterranean yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) breeding colony in relation to their environmental availability

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 197(4)

Published: March 6, 2025

Language: Английский