Journal
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
Volume 195, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115550
Keywords
Cabo Verde; Caretta caretta; Marine debris; Nesting beaches; Persistent organic pollutants; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
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Plastic pollution is a global environmental issue that affects sea turtle nesting grounds. The study found that plastic debris on the surface can leak contaminants and contaminate turtle nests, while buried plastics do not have this issue.
Plastic pollution is a global environmental issue affecting multiple ecosystems, namely sea turtle nesting grounds. We analysed the potential chemical contamination caused by plastic debris in loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests, focusing on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, a class of flame retardants). For that, we conducted a field experiment in a turtle hatchery (Cabo Verde) by placing plastic fragments in the nests at two depths: surface and similar to 20 cm. We evaluated the nests' success and quantified the levels of PBDEs in the sand using GC-MS/MS. Our results suggest that plastics on the nests' surface can leak contaminants, infiltrating the sand up to 20 cm. Buried plastics showed no relevant leakage of chemicals. While hatching and emergence success was unaffected, we found a relationship between leucistic embryos and contamination levels. Our study highlights the threats of plastic accumulation on beaches, which can potentially leak chemicals and contaminate turtle nests.
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