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The potential use of birds as bioindicators of suspended atmospheric microplastics and artificial fibers
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety2024
16 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
C. H. Wayman,
C. H. Wayman,
C. H. Wayman,
C. H. Wayman,
C. H. Wayman,
Roberto Rosal,
C. H. Wayman,
C. H. Wayman,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Rocío Fernández-Valeriano,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Gonzalo Anibarro García-Baquero,
Gonzalo Anibarro García-Baquero,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Rocío Fernández-Valeriano,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Rocío Fernández-Valeriano,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Irene López-Márquez,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Irene López-Márquez,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Irene López-Márquez,
Roberto Rosal,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Irene López-Márquez,
Fernando González,
Roberto Rosal,
Fernando González,
Fernando González,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Fernando González,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Miguel González-Pleiter
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Francisca Fernández‐Piñas,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Roberto Rosal,
Miguel González-Pleiter
Summary
Researchers examined two aerial bird species, the Common House Martin and Common Swift, as potential bioindicators of atmospheric microplastic pollution. They found microplastics and artificial fibers in both the digestive and respiratory systems of the birds, suggesting these airborne-feeding species are regularly exposed to suspended plastic particles. The study proposes that monitoring microplastics in aerial birds could provide valuable data on atmospheric plastic contamination levels.
Microplastics (MPs) and artificial fibers (AFs) have been detected suspended tens of meters above ground level in the atmosphere, yet empirical data on them remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate the presence of MPs and AFs in the digestive and respiratory systems of two abundant bird species, the Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum) and the Common Swift (Apus apus), within the Community of Madrid, Spain. Given that these birds spend the majority of their lives airborne, engaging in activities such as mating and sleeping during flight, the research sought to assess the potential of using these bird species as bioindicators for suspended atmospheric MPs and AFs. Samples were obtained from necropsies of birds (N = 24) collected primarily between spring and summer from 2021 to 2023. Only individuals that died within the initial 24-hour period and had not been fed were selected for examination to avoid contamination. MPs and AFS were identified by micro-FTIR, characterized and quantified. Results revealed that 75 % of the sampled birds exhibited at least one MPs in their respiratory and/or digestive system. All identified MPs were fibers, with polyester (PES) being the most predominant (48 %), followed by acrylic fibers (ACR; 28 %), and polyethylene (PE; 18 %). The average concentrations in the respiratory system were 1.12 ± 0.45 MPs/specimen and 2.78 ± 1.04 AFs/specimen for Common Swift and 0.75 ± 0.30 MPs/specimen and 0.75 ± 0.36 AFs/specimen for House Martin. In the digestive system, these were 1.92 ± 0.72 MPs/specimen and 3.42 ± 0.69 AFs/specimen for Common Swift, and 1.34 ± 0.50 MPs/specimen and 1.39 ± 0.47 AFs/specimen for House Martin. Birds collected areas with high population density located in the direction of the prevailing winds showed a concentration of MPs significantly higher in the digestive system. Taken together, these findings confirmed the potential use of these birds as bioindicators for monitoring of suspended atmospheric MPs and AFs.