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Widespread microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in the intestines of birds: A case study from Chengdu, China
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Researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics in the intestines of 49 bird species in Chengdu, China, with PVC and chlorinated polyethylene being the most common types. Nanoplastics, which are harder to detect and potentially more harmful, were confirmed in five species using advanced analytical methods. The widespread contamination across many bird species suggests that microplastic pollution has thoroughly penetrated terrestrial food webs, not just marine environments.
Widespread pollution of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) poses significant threats to organisms and human health. However, the extent of MPs and NPs contamination and their ecological risks to wildlife remain underexplored. In this study, we used Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy to identify and characterize MPs in the intestinal contents of 49 bird species, and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to identify NPs in the intestinal contents of five species. LDIR analysis indicated that chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the most prevalent plastics among 32 identified types. MP particle sizes below 100 μm were most abundant, and MPs were predominantly in the form of fragments or pellets. We also found that birds with narrower dietary niche breadth had more MPs. Herbivorous and carnivorous birds had higher MP abundance than omnivorous species, which suggests the capacity of MP accumulation across diet categories. The Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) for MPs revealed that most species sampled were classified at hazard levels III or IV. Py-GC/MS identified four types of NPs in bird intestines, including nylon 66 (PA66), PVC, polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). This study advances our knowledge of plastic pollution ingested by terrestrial organisms and the risks associated with increased plastic pollution in the environment.
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Researchers examined the lungs of 51 bird species and found microplastics in all of them, averaging over 400 particles per gram of lung tissue, with nanoplastics also detected in five species tested. Birds may serve as early warning indicators of airborne plastic pollution, and the widespread contamination of their lungs suggests that humans breathing the same air face similar exposure risks.
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Across 24 bird species in South China, insectivorous birds accumulated significantly more small microplastics (under 0.1 mm) than other feeding guilds, while piscivorous birds accumulated more large microplastics (over 1 mm). Diet source was a stronger predictor of microplastic contamination than trophic level or body weight, with polypropylene and PET as the dominant polymer types found.
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Researchers found microplastics in the droppings of birds at a protected nature reserve in China, with fibers and polyethylene being the most common types. Different bird species had varying levels of contamination depending on their habitat and feeding behavior, with aquatic birds generally ingesting more microplastics. This study shows that even wildlife in protected areas is exposed to microplastic pollution, which can move through food chains.
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Researchers found microplastics in the digestive tracts of all 16 terrestrial raptors (hawks and owls) examined on California's central coast, averaging over 12 particles per bird. The study is significant because it shows microplastic contamination has spread into land-based food chains, not just aquatic ones, raising questions about how plastic pollution affects predatory bird populations.
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