Project Overview

The project I am working on for my master’s in food safety is exploring the effects plastic ingestion on the sentinel species the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) exploring the following two areas. Liver cells of northern fulmars will be examined by PCR analysis to see if there is any correlation between plastic loads in the bird’s stomach and changes in gene expression. Northern fulmar feathers are analysed by ELISA to see if there is any correlation between plastic loads in the bird’s stomach and corticosterone levels which is an indicator of stress levels in the bird.