(Vancouver) Hundreds of thousands of waste plastic microbeads have been found in the prey of belugas, proving that these pollutants reach even whales swimming in the most remote waters of the Arctic.
According to a new study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, the researchers looked at five species of fish found in the Arctic and prized by beluga whales. They observed that 21% of the fish analyzed had ingested particles of microplastics.
Principal investigator of the study, Rhiannon Moore, deduces that microplastics have moved up the food chain to the top.
This is worrying because plastic, as we know, is everywhere and we do not really know the long term effects of the presence of these various types of plastic in these species.
Rhiannon Moore, Principal Investigator of the Study
Mme Moore, who recently completed a Masters of Science at Simon Fraser University and is collaborating with the City of Victoria in its zero waste efforts, says many northern animals must adapt to changes in their environment.
“So, we have species that are experiencing the effects of climate change, the increase in maritime transport, changes in migratory habits and all other types. So this case is just another human-made impact, ”she notes.
Microplastics are tiny contaminants that are less than five millimeters.
According to the study in question, nearly 80% of the particles found in the stomachs of northern fish came from textiles and clothing. Particles that would come off the clothes to be evacuated in the laundry water.
Scientific evidence shows that bacteria stick to these plastic fibers, making them even more attractive to the fish that ingest them.
The study documented the presence of microplastics in the stomachs of fish in the waters of the Beaufort Sea, northern Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska.
This new study builds on previous work by the same researchers who looked at beluga carcasses captured by hunters from the Inuvialuit community of Tuktoyaktuk in the western Canadian Arctic. This research estimated that whales ingest more than 145,000 particles of microplastics per year.
Researcher Rhiannon Moore says the new data confirms that beluga whales most likely absorb these plastics through their prey.
“So before, we made assumptions and estimates. Now, we really know that there is plastic in the food of whales and probably in other species as well, ”summarizes the expert.
In addition, the study suggests that the depths of the Arctic Ocean are a potential source of plastic accumulation. Beluga whales dive to depths of over 1,000 meters and spend a lot of time on the seabed.
“It is not known how climate change will influence the behavior of beluga whales in the depths of the ocean as well as their exposure to microplastic waste,” says the report.
In the opinion of Raincoast Conservation Foundation lead scientist and study co-author Peter Ross, the evidence suggests that microplastics in the Arctic are pushed there by ocean currents from the Atlantic.
“This is another example of a pollutant from urbanized and industrialized areas in the south that is rapidly moving up into the Arctic,” he notes, adding that virtually all Arctic waters are already contaminated.
While researcher Rhiannon Moore is not surprised by the results of her research, she says she hopes her findings will prompt people to take action to curb the pollution of the oceans by microplastic beads.
“Everyone loves whales and no one wants whales to be endangered. So, let’s hope this gets people thinking about the choices they make in their daily lives, ”she concludes.