Dolphins are releasing microplastics while breathing out. wired

In fact, wave energy can cause bubble bursts to release 100,000 metric tons of microplastics in the atmosphere each year. Since dolphins and other marine mammals breathe at the surface of the water, they may be particularly vulnerable to exposure.

where there are more people, there usually more plasticBut for tiny plastic particles floating in the air, this relationship is not always true. Airborne microplastics are not limited to heavily populated areas; They pollute undeveloped areas Very.

Our research found microplastics in the breath of dolphins living in both urban and rural areas creeksBut we don’t know whether there is any major difference in the amount or type of plastic particles between the two habitats.

how we do our work

Breath samples for our study were collected from wild bottlenose dolphins during a catch-and-release health assessment conducted in partnership. Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, National Marine Mammal FoundationAnd Fundación Oceanographic,

During these brief permissive health assessments, we placed a petri dish or an adapted spirometer– An instrument that measures lung function – over a dolphin’s blowhole to collect samples of the animal’s exhaled breath. using a microscope in Our partner’s laboratoryWe examined small particles that looked like plastic, such as pieces with a smooth surface, bright colors or fibrous shapes.

Since plastic melts when heated, we used a soldering needle to test whether these suspicious pieces were plastic. To confirm that they were indeed plastic, our partners used a special method called Raman spectroscopyWhich uses a laser to create a structural fingerprint that can be matched to a specific chemical.

Our study highlights how widespread plastic pollution is – and how exposed other living things are, including dolphins. Although the effects of inhaling plastic on dolphins’ lungs are not yet known, people can help address the problem of microplastic pollution by reducing plastic use and working to prevent more plastic from polluting the oceans .