Microplastics in Internal Tissues of Companion Animals from Urban Environments

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Toxicology

Background:

• Urban companion animals face exposure to various environmental contaminants.
• Microplastics are emerging pollutants with potential health implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and distribution of microplastics in the internal tissues of dogs and cats from an urban area.
• To identify the types of microplastics found in these animals.

Main Methods:

• Postmortem tissue samples (lungs, ileum, liver, kidney, blood clots) were collected from 25 dogs and 24 cats.
• Suspected microplastics were identified, and their sizes and locations were recorded.
• Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to confirm the polymer composition of detected particles.

Main Results:

• Microplastics were detected in 80 samples from 35 animals (17 dogs, 18 cats).
• Particles were frequently found in multiple tissues within the same animal (71.4%).
• The majority of detected microplastics were small (50.3% measuring 1-10 µm), and common polymers like polyethylene terephthalate were confirmed.

Conclusions:

• This study provides evidence for the internalization and distribution of microplastics within the internal tissues of urban companion animals.
• The findings highlight the potential exposure risks for terrestrial vertebrates in contaminated environments.