Microplastic Occurrence in the Gastrointestinal Tract of a Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus was stranded on the coast of Arsuz-Uluçınar, Iskenderun Bay, Tur-key in the northeastern Mediterranean on 29 March 2022. This study was conducted to reveal the relationshipbetweenG.griseusandmicroplasticdebrisinthenortheasternMediterraneanSea.The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of one stranding G. griseus was examined, and 454 microplastics particles were extracted. Of all, the majority of them were fibers (96%), black in colour (62%), and 0.5-1 mm in size (38%).This paper represents the first data indicating the microplastic abundance in G. griseus from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Also, it creates a baseline to understand the relationship between cetaceans and microplastics in this region.

Keywords

• stranding dolphin
• microplastic pollution
• iskenderun bay
• marine litter