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Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Microplastics and phthalate esters contamination in top oceanic predators: A study on multiple shark species in the
Ming-Huang Wang1, Chih-Feng Chen2, Yee Cheng Lim2
1Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Marine organisms, especially top predators such as sharks, are susceptible to environmental pollutants like microplastics (MPs) and phthalate esters (PAEs), leading to ecosystem risks. Research on contamination in these apex species is, however, still limited. This study investigated MPs and PAEs in multiple shark species (Isurus oxyrinchus, Alopias superciliosus, Alopias pelagicus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, and Sphyrna zygaena) off Taiwan's eastern coast. Gastric tissue analyses revealed ubiquitous microplastics (2-31 particles), which positively correlated with body lengths and weights for Isurus oxyrinchus. Blue, fiber-shaped (1-2 mm), and rayon-based MPs are likely associated with textile fiber pollution. The PAEs concentration mean was 7035 ± 6829 ng/g, ww, having DEHP and DiNP as primary compounds. This study highlights pervasive contamination in Pacific Ocean sharks, emphasizing anthropogenic impact on top oceanic predators and providing essential insights for food safety and MP accumulation.
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