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Updated: Jul 16, 2025
Data Collection on Marine Litter Ingestion in Sea Turtles and Thresholds for Good Environmental Status
Published on: May 18, 2019
Can plastic pollution contaminate loggerhead turtle nests? Evaluation of flame retardants (PBDEs) levels in the sand
Diana Sousa-Guedes1, Sara C Cunha2, José O Fernandes2
1Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo-Espaciais (CICGE), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Alameda do Monte da Virgem, 4430-146 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; BIOS.CV - Conservation of the Environment and Sustainable Development, CP 52111 Sal Rei, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde; Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/ Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
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 ~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.
