An international team of researchers led by Japanese researchers recently assessed that about 52% of seabirds worldwide contain plastic additives in their bodies, thus arguing that the impact of plastic pollution on marine animals is a growing concern.
The researchers came from 18 universities and research institutes in 7 countries and regions, including Japan. They conducted a joint survey of 145 seabirds of 32 species in 16 regions around the world and analyzed the composition of the fat secreted by the tail fat gland near their tail feathers. 76 of the seabirds detected plastic additives in the fat of the tail fat gland, including two flame retardants and six stabilizers that help prevent the plastic from aging due to ultraviolet light.
In addition, researchers have found plastic debris directly in the stomachs of seabirds living in Hawaii and western Australia in the United States.
The team estimated that up to 30 percent of the seabirds surveyed had increased concentrations of plastic additives in their bodies as a result of eating plastic directly, while the rest of the birds had accumulated plastic additives in their bodies through the consumption of fish and other foods.
The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the Journal of the Japanese Society of Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Research.
