High frequency of plastic ingestion in procellariiform seabirds (albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters) in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Ocean pollution by plastics is a growing concern for marine wildlife conservation, and seabirds are particularly prone to ingest plastics. We report baseline information on plastic ingestion in 17 procellariiform species along the coast of Brazil and Argentina. Through a collaborative regional effort we found plastic items in 30.2 % of seabird carcasses examined (n = 192), comprised predominantly by mesoplastics (5–25 mm), user plastics, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyethylene. Considering the most representative source-site cohorts, the frequency of occurrence of plastic items varied significantly between sampling site and source of carcasses. Ingestion was highest in petrels and shearwaters. Immature birds ingested the largest number (and total mass) of plastic items followed by chicks and adults. Long-term programs applying standardized sampling protocols are needed to detect spatiotemporal patterns of plastic ingestion across species, and assess the potential effectiveness of remediation actions. Further studies are necessary to assess currently unrecognized health effects of plastic ingestion.