Assessment of marine litter interaction in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline and the Adriatic Sea

Marine litter represents a growing threat to marine biodiversity, particularly to cetaceans, yet its impacts on these sentinel species remain insufficiently quantified. This study provides the first comprehensive, transboundary assessment of litter ingestion in stranded cetaceans along the Italian coastline and across the wider Adriatic basin, including Croatia and Slovenia, between 2009 and 2023. Through harmonized post-mortem examinations, and focusing on the period of consistent data collection and analysis (2009-2023), this study documented plastic litter ingestion in 2.9% of necropsied cetaceans in Italy and 3.7% in the broader Adriatic subregion, with sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) showing the highest frequency (50% FO) and susceptibility. In 11 cases, ingestion was associated with health deterioration and mortality. The most commonly ingested items were plastic sheets and fragments. The Italian Adriatic subregion emerged as a hotspot for plastic interactions, reflecting regional hydrodynamics and anthropogenic pressures. Applying criteria from regional and international frameworks, the results showed that 60% of P. macrocephalus had ingested more than 1 kg of plastic, with 40% exhibiting harmful effects. These data provide baseline values that can serve as reference points for proposing thresholds to achieve Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Despite these results supporting the use of sperm whales as suitable sentinel species for monitoring macroplastic pollution, the available data are limited to Italy and influenced by distributional patterns and unusual mortality events. A combined approach, where T. truncatus is monitored for its broad spatial representativeness and P. macrocephalus for its ecological susceptibility, may be a useful strategy to guide further research and inform management measures in the future. These findings underscore the need for standardized monitoring protocols, enhanced cross-border data sharing, and policy measures to mitigate plastic impacts. This work provides crucial baseline knowledge for conservation planning and reinforces the role of cetaceans as indicators of ecosystem health in the Mediterranean.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Frontiers in Marine Science
Published
2025-11-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1713820
Primary Topic
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Assessment of marine litter interaction in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline and the Adriatic Sea

Giorgia Corazzola, Giuseppe Lucifora, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Casalone et al.
Frontiers in Marine Science
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
article

Assessment of marine litter interaction in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline and the Adriatic Sea

Giorgia Corazzola, Giuseppe Lucifora, María Cristina Fossi, Cristina Casalone, Martina Đuras, Federica Giorda, Cristiano Cocumelli, Silva Rubini, Antonio Pintore, Fabio Di Nocera, Guido Pietroluongo, Matteo Baini, Ilaria Pascucci, Cinzia Centelleghe, Roberto Puleio, Tilen Genov, Sandro Mazzariol, Carla Grattarola, Stefano Gavaudan, Ludovica Di Renzo, Gabriella Di Francesco, Giuliana Terracciano, A. Petrella
article en

Abstract

Marine litter represents a growing threat to marine biodiversity, particularly to cetaceans, yet its impacts on these sentinel species remain insufficiently quantified. This study provides the first comprehensive, transboundary assessment of litter ingestion in stranded cetaceans along the Italian coastline and across the wider Adriatic basin, including Croatia and Slovenia, between 2009 and 2023. Through harmonized post-mortem examinations, and focusing on the period of consistent data collection and analysis (2009-2023), this study documented plastic litter ingestion in 2.9% of necropsied cetaceans in Italy and 3.7% in the broader Adriatic subregion, with sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) showing the highest frequency (50% FO) and susceptibility. In 11 cases, ingestion was associated with health deterioration and mortality. The most commonly ingested items were plastic sheets and fragments. The Italian Adriatic subregion emerged as a hotspot for plastic interactions, reflecting regional hydrodynamics and anthropogenic pressures. Applying criteria from regional and international frameworks, the results showed that 60% of P. macrocephalus had ingested more than 1 kg of plastic, with 40% exhibiting harmful effects. These data provide baseline values that can serve as reference points for proposing thresholds to achieve Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Despite these results supporting the use of sperm whales as suitable sentinel species for monitoring macroplastic pollution, the available data are limited to Italy and influenced by distributional patterns and unusual mortality events. A combined approach, where T. truncatus is monitored for its broad spatial representativeness and P. macrocephalus for its ecological susceptibility, may be a useful strategy to guide further research and inform management measures in the future. These findings underscore the need for standardized monitoring protocols, enhanced cross-border data sharing, and policy measures to mitigate plastic impacts. This work provides crucial baseline knowledge for conservation planning and reinforces the role of cetaceans as indicators of ecosystem health in the Mediterranean.

Frontiers in Marine ScienceVol. 12
University of Siena (IT), University of Padua (IT), University of Zagreb (HR), Interface (United States) (US), Centro Studi Industriali (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia (IT), CoNISMa (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini" (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale (IT), Azienda USL di Pescara (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (IT), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IT), University of Turin (IT), Piramal (India) (IN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 74%
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.