Anthropogenic Litter found in Antarctic seals from the Western Antarctic Peninsula

JULIETA CEBUAR; JAVIER NEGRETE; CARLOS O. DELLA VÉDOVA; SILVINA BOTTA; LUCAS S. RODRÍGUEZ PIRANI; MAIRA PROIETTI; MARIANA JUÁRES; A. LORENA PICONE; ROSANA M. ROMANO; EDUARDO SECCHI

Virtual

Conferencia; The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR 2022); 2022

To assess the presence of marine debris in Antarctic seals, 29 feces samples were collected at Cierva Cove at the WAP (Lobodon carcinophaga (n=5), Leptonichotes weddellii (n=11) and Hydrurga leptonix (n=13)). Feces were digested with KOH at 10% and observed under a binocular microscope. Approximately 400 debris items were isolated from the wholescat samples. Fragments and fibers of different colors were the main items found. We used Raman and FTIR microscopes to determine their composition, with 20% of the items analyzed so far. Black, green and blue fragments werecharacterized by μ-Raman spectroscopy, and spectra were consistent with black carbon (black fragments), blue and green copper phthalocyanine pigments (blue and green fragments, respectively), confirming their anthropogenic origins. The preliminary results for fibers characterized from μ-FTIR indicate the presence of semi-synthetic cellulose.Main sources of black carbon are associated with industrial activity, such as fuel fossil combustion, and burning of vegetation. Although previous reports were inconclusive about the source of this pollutant in Antarctica, potential sourcessuch as electrical power plants and shipping are present in the region. On the other hand, copper phthalocyanine pigments are widely used in plastic polymers synthesis and industrial paints, indicating microplastic contamination inAntarctic seals. These results alert about the impact of these contaminants in this remote region and its ecologically important biota.