Quantification and Characterization of Microplastics in Wildlife Feces: Case Study from Buffer zones of Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu

Wildlife is greatly impacted by the presence of microplastics in the environment, which has become a global concern. In order to clarify their possible effects on ecosystem health, this study examines the frequency of microplastics in the feces of wild animals. Indian Elephants (Elephas maximus indicus), sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor), Gaurs (Bos gaurus), and Rabbits (Lepus nigricollis) were the main subjects of this investigation. In Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, we gathered wild animal excrement from the buffer zones of the Western Ghats range. Twelve animal feces samples included 127 Micro Plastic Particles (MPs) in total. A trinocular microscope was used for qualitative investigation, which showed that MPs came in a variety of colors and forms. Transparent (46 particles) was the most commonly detected color, followed by white (30), blue (15), red (6), light blue (4), brown (3), and pink (3). Fibers (70), pieces (36), and sheets (21) were among the MP shapes that were detected. To determine the kinds of polymeric components contained in the particles, FT-IR analysis was performed using Origin software. Correlations between the overall number of MPS in various animal samples and their colors and shapes were examined using SPSS software