Marine debris ingestion by sea turtles (Testudines) on the Brazilian coast: an underestimated threat?

Robson Henrique de Carvalho; Pedro Dutra Lacerda; Sarah da Silva Mendes; Bruno Corrêa Barbosa; Mariana Paschoalini; Fabio Prezoto; Bernadete Maria de Sousa

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.002

Marine debris ingestion by sea turtles (Testudines) on the Brazilian coast: an underestimated threat?

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Dec 30;101(2):746-9. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.002. Epub 2015 Oct 9.

Authors

Robson Henrique de Carvalho¹, Pedro Dutra Lacerda², Sarah da Silva Mendes³, Bruno Corrêa Barbosa³, Mariana Paschoalini³, Fabio Prezoto⁴, Bernadete Maria de Sousa⁴

Affiliations

¹ Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Comportamento e Biologia Animal da UFJF, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Campus Universitário, Bairro São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG CEP: 36.036-900, Brazil. Electronic address: robsonhc1000@yahoo.com.br.
² Instituto Ecológico Búzios de Mata Atlântica, Armação de Búzios, RJ, Brazil.
³ Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia - UFJF, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Campus Universitário, Bairro São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG CEP: 36.036-900, Brazil.
⁴ Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Comportamento e Biologia Animal da UFJF, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Campus Universitário, Bairro São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG CEP: 36.036-900, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia - UFJF, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Campus Universitário, Bairro São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG CEP: 36.036-900, Brazil.

PMID: 26454630
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.002

Abstract

Assessment of marine debris ingestion by sea turtles is important, especially to ensure their survival. From January to December 2011, 23 specimens of five species of sea turtles were found dead or dying after being rehabilitated, along the coast of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To detect the presence of marine debris in the digestive tract of these turtles, we conducted a postmortem examination from the esophagus until the distal portion of the large intestine for each specimen. Of the total number of turtles, 39% had ingested marine debris such as soft plastic, hard plastic, metal, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle caps, human hair, tampons, and latex condoms. Five of the seven sea turtles species are found along the Brazilian coast, where they feed and breed. A large number of animals are exposed to various kinds of threats, including debris ingestion.

Keywords: Caretta caretta; Chelonia mydas; Plastic; Pollution; Rio de Janeiro; Waste.

MeSH terms

Animals
Autopsy
Brazil
Eating
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
Environmental Exposure / analysis*
Feminine Hygiene Products
Gastrointestinal Contents / chemistry
Gastrointestinal Tract / chemistry
Hair
Humans
Metals / analysis
Plastics / analysis
Polyethylene Terephthalates / analysis
Turtles*
Water Pollutants / analysis*

Substances

Metals
Plastics
Polyethylene Terephthalates
Water Pollutants