• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News Environment

Microplastics found in all sea turtle species

Researchers looked for synthetic particles - less than five millimetres in length - including microplastics in 102 sea turtles - and found them in the guts of every single one

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2018-12-05 00:05
in Environment, News, Science
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Tests on more than 100 sea turtles – spanning three oceans and all seven species – found microplastics in the guts of every single one.

Researchers looked for synthetic particles – less than five millimetres in length – including microplastics in 102 sea turtles in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean.

Synthetic particles were found in all of the turtles, the most common being fibres, which can potentially come from sources including clothing, tyres, cigarette filters and maritime equipment such as ropes and fishing nets.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, working with the Greenpeace Research Laboratories.

Lead author Dr Emily Duncan, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, said: “The effect of these particles on turtles is unknown.

“Their small size means they can pass through the gut without causing a blockage, as is frequently reported with larger plastic fragments.

“However, future work should focus on whether microplastics may be affecting aquatic organisms more subtly.

RelatedPosts

Liberty hails ‘landmark’ win over MI5, MI6 and GCHQ

US Supreme Court overturns right to abortion and allows more Americans to carry guns away from home

Watch: Rees-Mogg’s new Brexit benefit is more pathetic than his recent universal charger ‘win’

Here she is! Nadine Dorries wades in to support Johnson…it didn’t go well

“For example, they may possibly carry contaminants, bacteria or viruses, or they may affect the turtle at a cellular or subcellular level. This requires further investigation.”

In total, more than 800 synthetic particles were found in the 102 turtles studied.

But researchers only tested part of each animal’s gut – so the total number of particles is estimated to be about 20 times higher.

Researchers do not currently understand how synthetic particles are ingested by turtles, but the likely sources are polluted seawater and sediments, and eating via prey or plants.

Study senior author Professor Brendan Godley added: “It really is a great shame that many or even all of the world’s sea turtles have now ingested microplastics.

“At the moment, this is not the main threat to this species group, but it is a clear sign that we need to act to better govern global waste.”

Necropsies were carried out on the turtles after they died either by stranding or being accidentally caught in fishing nets.

The study sites were the Atlantic coast of North Carolina in the United States, the Mediterranean coast of Northern Cyprus andthe Pacific coast of Queensland, Australia.

The turtles with the most synthetic particles were in the Mediterranean – thought to have higher rates of contamination than the Atlantic or Pacific – but the study’s sample sizes did not allow for detailed geographical comparisons.

Dr Penelope Lindeque, of Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said: “While this study has been successful, it does not feel like a success to have found microplastic in the gut of every single turtle we have investigated.

“From our work over the years we have found microplastic in nearly all the species of marine animals we have looked at; from tiny zooplankton at the base of the marine food web to fish larvae, dolphins and now turtles.

“This study provides more evidence that we all need to help reduce the amount of plastic waste released to our seas and maintain clean, healthy and productive oceans for future generations.”

Louise Edge, plastics campaigner at Greenpeace, added: “This important research demonstrates the breadth of our plastics pollution problem.

“Our society’s addiction to throwaway plastic is fuelling a global environmental crisis that must be tackled at source.”

The findings were published in the journal Global Change Biology.

 

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

A chocolate weekend in York

Watch – Is he a fox? PM May comes to man’s door but he is too scared to answer

Does rattan garden furniture fade in the sun?

Are Leeds United fans being sold a marketing ploy?

Female refugees face dire situation after aid workers flee Lesbos

Two killed after Porsche becomes airborne and crashes into building

Johnson needs to fulfil promise to fix social care as Minister hopes care homes are Covid-free by Sept 2021

‘Three people feared dead and two are in critical care’ in hospital after stabbings

Park rangers are being mocked for putting up a notice of eviction – for a family of BADGERS

Stunning pictures of Northern Lights bursting alive with colour

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.