Plastic ingestion by a generalist seabird on the coast of Uruguay.
We analyzed plastic ingestion by Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) from 806 pellets collected between 2011 and 2013. Employing a Raman spectroscopy, we characterized those polymers used to produce the plastics ingested. Debris was recorded in 143 pellets (%FO=17.7%, n=202, 92.58g). Plastic was found in 119 pellets (%FO=83%) and non-plastic occurred in 56 pellets (%FO=39%). The most important debris category was plastic film with 55.3% (n=79). Plastic bags were observed in 19 pellets (%FO=2.4%, weight=25.02g). Glass was the second most important component (%FO=18.9%) followed by plastic fragments (%FO=17.8%). Plastic debris represented the 65.3% of the debris fragments (n=132, weight=58.84g), and was composed by polyethylene (52%), polypropylene (26%), polyamide (12%), polystyrene (6%), polyvinyl chloride (2%), and polyethylene terephthalate (2%). How plastics were obtained by gulls and the effects on individuals are discussed, as well as environmental considerations about plastic pollution on coastal environments.
Centro de Investigación y Conservación Marina - CICMAR, Avenida Giannattasio Km 30.5, Canelones 15008, Uruguay; Department of Forestry and Natural Resources & Ecological Sciences and Engineering Program, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States. Electronic address: javier.lenzi@cicmar.org.
Javier
J
Lenzi
Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República (UDELAR), Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
María Fernanda
MF
Burgues
Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; Department of Planetology and Habitability, Astrobiology Centre (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.
Daniel
D
Carrizo
Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República (UDELAR), Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
Emanuel
E
Machín
Centro Universitario Regional Este, Universidad de la República, Maldonado, Uruguay.
Franco
F
Teixeira-de Mello
D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes; D004435:Eating; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D014583:Uruguay; D014866:Waste Products
D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products
Plastic film; Plastic pollution; Seabirds; Synthetic polymers; Uruguay