We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Rapid excretion of raw microplastics and longer persistence of fragmented microplastics in the quail digestive system
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fed polystyrene microplastics to quails and tracked fecal excretion over time, finding that 90% of parent particles were expelled within 10 days but that smaller fragmented microplastics persisted up to 20 days — and that digestion caused significant oxidation and fragmentation of the particles.
Substantial amounts of microplastics are ingested by living organisms, in particular by humans; yet, the fate of microplastics through digestion is poorly known. Here, we administrated 1–2 mm polystyrene microplastics to quails to monitor their dynamics of fecal excretion. We quantified small-sized polystyrene microplastics, lower than 500 µm, by pyrolysis-assisted thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The surface morphology of parent microplastics was also characterized. Results show that 90 wt% of parent particles were excreted within 10 days, mostly in the first 24 h, whereas fragmented microplastics persisted for up to 20-day post-ingestion. Aged polystyrene and sand co-administered particles exhibited greater fragmentation than those in other groups. Parent microplastics were significantly oxidized after digestion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics and terrestrial birds: a review on plastic ingestion in ecological linchpins
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastic pollution affects terrestrial birds — key ecological indicators — finding documented harms including intestinal blockage and developmental disruption, with implications for entire food webs since birds that ingest plastics can concentrate and transfer contamination to other species, including humans.
Deciphering potential implications of dietary microplastics for human health
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers evaluated a World Health Organization report on dietary exposure to nano- and microplastics, concluding that while humans are clearly ingesting these particles through food and beverages, convincing evidence of adverse health effects remains elusive due to major detection and data gaps.
Differential microplastic contamination of waterbirds in a coastal region associated with trophic groups and spatial distribution
AI summary Read the abstract
A study of waterbird feces in southern Brazil found that shorebirds feeding in sediments had far higher microplastic loads than fish-eating birds, and contamination was worst near urban areas, with polyester and PVC the most common polymers detected. Trophic position and proximity to cities both shape how much plastic wildlife ingests, providing a natural monitoring system for tracking coastal microplastic pollution.
Environmental Fate and Effects of Microplastics on Organisms
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined the environmental fate of microplastics — including fragmentation dynamics, sorption of co-contaminants, and bioaccumulation through food webs — alongside their toxic effects on organisms ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Understanding how plastics persist, concentrate toxicants, and biomagnify through trophic levels is essential for predicting long-term health consequences for wildlife and human consumers.
First report on occurrence and characterization of microplastics in feces of Corvus splendens (Vieillot, 1817)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found microplastics in 92% of fecal samples from Indian house crows (Corvus splendens), with polyester fibers dominating at 99% of particles and an average of 2.64 particles per sample. This first-ever report of microplastic ingestion in a terrestrial urban bird species highlights how plastic pollution has permeated even land-based wildlife food webs, far beyond marine and waterbird systems.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.