Search

Highlights: [•] Anthropogenic debris was ingested by 51.4% loggerheads in the South Indian Ocean. [•] Plastic was the debris category the most prevalent in gut content and fecal samples. [•] Debris ingestion was not significantly affected by biometric characteristics of turtles. [•] We found higher number, weight and mean length of debris in deceased sea turtles. [•] This is the first record of debris ingestion by loggerheads in the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to determine bioaccumulation and potential molecular effects of four of the most environmentally significant sunscreen agents in juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Italian coasts of the central Adriatic Sea. Each of these sunscreen agents were found in most of the plasma samples analyzed, with benzophenone-3 as the dominant species. Total concentrations of the sunscreen agents ranged from not detected (−1. Almost all of the gene biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and hormonal activity assessed by RT-qPCR in blood tissue showed significant positive correlations with total sunscreen agent concentrations. The present study is the first to provide data on contamination by sunscreen agents in loggerheads, and indicates that these chemicals tend to bioaccumulate and exert potential adverse effects in sea turtles. • Environmentally relevant sunscreen agents were detected in Adriatic loggerheads. • Total concentrations of the UV filters ranged from not detected to 28.43 g mL−1. • Blood gene expression biomarkers were positively associated with total UV filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]