Scientists found plastic in the muscles of sea turtles for the first time, confirming that pollution chemically affects marine life. The researchers analyzed the remains of 44 sea turtles found on the Spanish coastline. The analysis showed that all creatures had traces of plastic additives in their muscles. Their concentrations ranged from 6 to 100 ng per gram of muscle. Researchers warn that if sea turtles are affected in this way, humans may also be affected.
Marine animals like sea turtles are often caught in fishing nets, and waste in the ocean and other plastics that can eventually be eaten often lead to fatal consequences. In the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, sea turtles are listed as "endangered species."
The research was led by the chemist Ethel Ejarrat of the Spanish National Research Council. The research object was 44 sea turtles, namely "sea turtles". These turtles were found dead on the coast of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands between 2014 and 2017.
The tortoise’s diet is mainly composed of jellyfish, sardines and squids. They also consume waste such as plastic bags, bottle tops and floating plastic debris.
51-year-old Dr. Ejarrat told Real Press: “These additives are clearly present in the muscles of the analyzed turtles.”
She added: "The sea turtles in the Balearic Islands have a higher plastic content. We believe that turtles living on the coast of Algeria have more plastic waste than turtles on the coast of the Catalan Sea." "Studies have shown that plastic waste not only affects them on a physical level (when sea turtles get stuck in the waste or eventually enter the digestive system), but it also affects them on a chemical level."
The research team analyzed 19 additives used in plastics. These additives are known to disrupt the hormone-regulated endocrine system and are neurotoxic and even carcinogenic.
These include organophosphorus compounds or OPC, which are added to plastics to improve their flame retardant properties and are found in all sea turtles.
Analysis has shown that plastic is present in all sea turtles, with a concentration ranging from 6 to 100 nanograms per gram of muscle.
These levels are similar to those found in previous studies of OPC, such as polychlorinated biphenyls or dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (often called DDT). As Dr. Ejarrat pointed out, “due to poisonousness, it was banned a few years ago.”
Luis Cardona, a biologist at the University of Barcelona, said: “When marine litter is voluntarily eaten, [turtles] often mix them with real food (such as jellyfish).”
"Turtles are one of the most vulnerable groups of animals to be contaminated by plastic additives, although we have not fully understood the true impact of this phenomenon."
Dr. Ejarrat also said that the plastic compounds they detected may affect the fertility of tortoises and are linked to cancer cases in marine reptiles.
She told Real Press: "The toxic effect is not acute, but chronic."
"The fact that they are exposed to these pollutants every day may cause trouble for their entire lives."
In addition, compared to other marine organisms, sea turtles may be more susceptible to plastic-related chemical additives.
'[They] absorb more plastic than whales or dolphins. For example, when whales filter water, they absorb microplastics, but the content of pollutants in microplastics is lower than the macromolecular plastics absorbed by turtles.
Dr. Ejarat also warned that if black-headed sea turtles are suffering from these effects, there are reasons why humans may also be exposed. Pictured: a turtle on the beach after laying eggs.
Dr. Ejarat also warned that if turtles are suffering from these effects, there are reasons to believe that humans may also be exposed.
"We add these compounds to our diet through fish and the air we breathe, so we are absorbing it. Depending on each of us, our organism and metabolism will be affected sooner or later."
The full results of the study were published in the journal "Environmental Pollution".
