PRESENCE OF MICROPLASTICS IN THE DIGESTIVE TRACTS OF COMMON BUZZARDS (BUTEO BUTEO)

Descripción

Plastic pollution is a global environmental problem in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, microplastics (<5 mm) have been reported to transport harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimicrobials or pathogens. Recently, some authors have detected microplastics in wildlife, but few studies have been done in non-aquatic birds. Raptors have been considered good indicators of pollution in ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of microplastics in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) admitted in a Wildlife Rescue Center in Madrid, Spain, since it is ubiquitous in the Iberian Peninsula and has a varied diet that even includes carrion. The entire digestive tract of 15 buzzard specimens was chemically digested. After sedimentation, each sample was filtered and the microplastics were quantified and classified according to their shape and colour characteristics. Microplastics were detected in 87% of the samples, ranging between 1 and more than 200 with an average of 38.8 particles. The fiber accounted for 91% of the microplastics, 7% were fragments and 2% beads. Eliminating the extreme values (those without microplastics and those with more than 120 particles) the mean was 11.09 and the proportions were 70%, 24% and 6% respectively. The main colour was black (45%), followed by, yellow (29%), white/transparent (19%), red (7%), blue (3%) and pink (2%). The arrival of these microplastics in the animal's body could be explained by the theory of bioaccumulation. The presence of microplastics in the digestive tract of the buzzards confirms the contamination of the habitat of these animals.