First report from North America of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Microplastics' (MPs) abundance, small size, and global distribution render them bioavailable to a variety of organisms directly or by trophic transfer, yet examinations in marine apex predators are currently limited. The present study investigated the occurrence of MPs sized 125 μm–5 mm in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded in South Carolina, USA from 2017 to 2018. MPs, mostly fibers, were detected in all GITs (n = 7) of stranded bottlenose dolphins. Total suspected MPs ranged between 123 and 422 particles/individual, a high range among international studies. Comparison to other studies likely reflects differences in both methods and location. This is the first study from North America to quantify MPs in a small coastal cetacean outside Arctic waters and the first specifically in bottlenose dolphins (southeastern United States). Findings and methodology from this investigation can aid future studies examining MP in marine apex predators. •Microplastics in all 7 gastrointestinal tracts of bottlenose dolphins examined•Microplastics may fragment in cetacean digestive tract.•Fibers dominant morphology observed; fragments, films, and foams also present•Comparison to other studies likely reflects differences in methods and location.•Pathways of exposure and potential impacts on dolphins are still poorly understood.