The scientists collected samples of exhaled air from bottlenose dolphins in two sites: Sarasota Bay, Florida, and Barataria Bay, Louisiana. They found microplastics in the exhaled breath from all 11 bottlenose dolphins sampled, leading them to believe the inhaled plastics were airborne.
Leslie Hart mentioned that microplastic inhalation in humans is a budding field. The fact that dolphins have a much larger lung capacity and are taking deep breaths may mean they are exposed to higher doses of microplastics than humans.
They found microplastics everywhere, even in pristine locations such as Mount Everest, indicating the transport of such particles by wind is a key factor in their ubiquitous contamination.
The researchers emphasize that while we are starting to understand how dolphins are exposed to microplastics, the adverse health impacts linked to plastic pollution are a significant concern.
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