| Title: | Airborne microplastics detected in the lungs of wild birds in Japan |
| Author(s): | Tokunaga Y; Okochi H; Tani Y; Niida Y; Tachibana T; Saigawa K; Katayama K; Moriguchi S; Kato T; Hayama SI; |
| Address: | "Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: mirupopoyurika@gmail.com. Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan. Applied Biology Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138032 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1298 (Electronic) 0045-6535 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Microplastics (MPs) have been found in a wide range of animal species including humans. The detection of MPs in human lungs suggests that humans inhale airborne microplastics (AMPs). Although birds respire more efficiently than mammals and are therefore more susceptible to air pollution, little is known about their inhalation exposure to MPs. In this study, we analyzed samples isolated from the lungs of several species of wild birds in Japan by attenuated total reflection (ATR) imaging method of micro-Fourier transform infrared (muFTIR) spectroscopy to clear whether AMPs can be inhaled and accumulate within the lungs of wild birds. To isolate MPs from lung samples of rock doves (Columba livia), black kites (Milvus migrans), and barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) euthanized for pest control, digestion and density separation were performed. After each sample collected on an alumina filter was measured by ATR imaging method using muFTIR spectroscopy, the physical and chemical characteristics of the detected MPs were evaluated. Six MPs were detected in 3 of 22 lung samples. Polypropylene and polyethylene were found in rock doves and ethylene vinyl acetate was found in a barn swallow. Most MPs were fragments of 28.0-70.5 mum. Our results demonstrated that in addition to dietary sources, some wild birds are exposed to MPs by inhalation, and these MPs reach the lungs" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Humans *Microplastics Plastics Columbidae Japan *Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis Environmental Monitoring Mammals Air pollution Avian lung Inhalation Secondary microplastic Terrestrial birds muFTIR spectroscopy;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineTokunaga, Yurika Okochi, Hiroshi Tani, Yuto Niida, Yasuhiro Tachibana, Toshio Saigawa, Kazuo Katayama, Kinya Moriguchi, Sachiko Kato, Takuya Hayama, Shin-Ichi eng England 2023/02/06 Chemosphere. 2023 Apr; 321:138032. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138032. Epub 2023 Feb 3" |
