The ubiquitous nature of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems may have serious implications for aq... more The ubiquitous nature of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems may have serious implications for aquatic biota. While microplastic research in freshwater ecosystems is increasing, very few studies have assessed the physical presence of microplastics among top predators. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), a top predator of aquatic ecosystems, is one of the most widely distributed otter species and has a broad habitat niche. The opportunistic collection of otter spraints (i.e., feces) presents a valuable opportunity to assess pollutants of freshwater ecosystems through noninvasive means. Here, we assessed the prevalence, abundance, and concentration of microplastics (100 μm to 5 mm), as well as dietary remains, in 53 spraint samples collected over eight river catchments spanning three regions of Ireland. We found microplastics present in 57% of spraints at an abundance of 1.2 ± 0.1 microplastics (MPs)/spraint (mean ± SE) and a concentration of 3.8 ± 0.6 MPs/g (dry weight). Fibers were th...
9th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'23)
In 2020-2022 a select group of Irish educators, marine renewable energy proponents and sustainabi... more In 2020-2022 a select group of Irish educators, marine renewable energy proponents and sustainability stakeholders entered into dialogue with a view to enhancing post-primary educational resources. The paucity of educational resources in this field was highlighted, most notably those in the Irish language. This dialogue led to the development, and piloting of a bilingual (Irish and English) cross-curricular programme of learning - a Transition Year Unit - targeted at students aged 15-17. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning unit with respect to enhancing knowledge in these novel areas. The methodology is a mixed methods case study. Data gathering processes include student questionnaires, stakeholder focus groups, and expert interviews. The main finding is the importance of stakeholder input into curriculum development to ensure the effectiveness of the Transition Year Unit of Learning, and to enhance learner engagement.. Furthermore, the study recommends tha...
Marine anthropogenic litter is increasing in prevalence in both the marine environment and its in... more Marine anthropogenic litter is increasing in prevalence in both the marine environment and its inhabitants. This study assesses the levels of anthropogenic microplastics in benthic infauna from 20 subtidal stations in Galway Bay, Ireland. Microplastics were removed from the organisms using an alkaline digestion (KOH) and their synthetic origin was confirmed by μFTIR spectroscopic analysis. The average number of microplastics recorded for all organisms was 0.79 ± 1.14 particles individual-1, similar to previously published results on subtidal fauna of the North Sea. Fibres were the dominant particle type (98%) and the majority were identified as natural (cellulose, cotton). Synthetic polymers identified included PVA (polyvinyl acetate), EPDM (synthetic rubber), PE (polyethylene) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Fibres less than 1 mm made up 55% of the recovered lengths. Colours recorded in the organisms were mainly blue and were reflective of the surrounding habitats. Of the five phyla collected, the highest incidence and uptake was associated with the Annelida. A significant difference in ingested MPs was only evident when depth (greater and less than 30 m) was considered as a factor. In addition, no significant differences were found between either the numbers of ingested MPs and phyla or feeding strategies. The results indicate that future studies should follow an ecosystem-based approach to monitor MPs levels in an area where specific bioindicator(s) have not been identified or are unsuitable.
The ubiquitous nature of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems may have serious implications for aq... more The ubiquitous nature of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems may have serious implications for aquatic biota. While microplastic research in freshwater ecosystems is increasing, very few studies have assessed the physical presence of microplastics among top predators. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), a top predator of aquatic ecosystems, is one of the most widely distributed otter species and has a broad habitat niche. The opportunistic collection of otter spraints (i.e., feces) presents a valuable opportunity to assess pollutants of freshwater ecosystems through noninvasive means. Here, we assessed the prevalence, abundance, and concentration of microplastics (100 μm to 5 mm), as well as dietary remains, in 53 spraint samples collected over eight river catchments spanning three regions of Ireland. We found microplastics present in 57% of spraints at an abundance of 1.2 ± 0.1 microplastics (MPs)/spraint (mean ± SE) and a concentration of 3.8 ± 0.6 MPs/g (dry weight). Fibers were th...
9th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'23)
In 2020-2022 a select group of Irish educators, marine renewable energy proponents and sustainabi... more In 2020-2022 a select group of Irish educators, marine renewable energy proponents and sustainability stakeholders entered into dialogue with a view to enhancing post-primary educational resources. The paucity of educational resources in this field was highlighted, most notably those in the Irish language. This dialogue led to the development, and piloting of a bilingual (Irish and English) cross-curricular programme of learning - a Transition Year Unit - targeted at students aged 15-17. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning unit with respect to enhancing knowledge in these novel areas. The methodology is a mixed methods case study. Data gathering processes include student questionnaires, stakeholder focus groups, and expert interviews. The main finding is the importance of stakeholder input into curriculum development to ensure the effectiveness of the Transition Year Unit of Learning, and to enhance learner engagement.. Furthermore, the study recommends tha...
Marine anthropogenic litter is increasing in prevalence in both the marine environment and its in... more Marine anthropogenic litter is increasing in prevalence in both the marine environment and its inhabitants. This study assesses the levels of anthropogenic microplastics in benthic infauna from 20 subtidal stations in Galway Bay, Ireland. Microplastics were removed from the organisms using an alkaline digestion (KOH) and their synthetic origin was confirmed by μFTIR spectroscopic analysis. The average number of microplastics recorded for all organisms was 0.79 ± 1.14 particles individual-1, similar to previously published results on subtidal fauna of the North Sea. Fibres were the dominant particle type (98%) and the majority were identified as natural (cellulose, cotton). Synthetic polymers identified included PVA (polyvinyl acetate), EPDM (synthetic rubber), PE (polyethylene) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Fibres less than 1 mm made up 55% of the recovered lengths. Colours recorded in the organisms were mainly blue and were reflective of the surrounding habitats. Of the five phyla collected, the highest incidence and uptake was associated with the Annelida. A significant difference in ingested MPs was only evident when depth (greater and less than 30 m) was considered as a factor. In addition, no significant differences were found between either the numbers of ingested MPs and phyla or feeding strategies. The results indicate that future studies should follow an ecosystem-based approach to monitor MPs levels in an area where specific bioindicator(s) have not been identified or are unsuitable.
J Gago, A Filgueiras, ML Pedrotti, Giuseppe Suaria, V Tirelli, J Andrade, J Frias, R Nash, I O’Co... more J Gago, A Filgueiras, ML Pedrotti, Giuseppe Suaria, V Tirelli, J Andrade, J Frias, R Nash, I O’Connor, C Lopes, M Caetano, J Raimundo, O Carretero, L Viñas, J Antunes, F Bessa, P Sobral, A Goruppi, S Aliani, L Palazzo, GA de Lucia, A Camedda, S Muniategui, G Grueiro, V Fernandez, Gunnar Gerdts
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