engleski

Analyses on diet and anthropogenic particles in pellets of white stork (Ciconia ciconia L.) from Croatia

A direct carrier of chemicals to birds is microplastics and a potential vector for the transmission of pollutants contained in plastics and pollutants adsorbed to the plastic itself. The possibilities of absorption, adsorption and release of persistent plastic pollutants into the environment are determined by the polymers themselves that make up the plastic. The aims of this study are to analyze the pellets to gain insight into the dietary habits of storks in a simple and noninvasive way and to emphasize the importance of using spectroscopic techniques in studies with the work on plastics. Pellets (n = 20) were sampled during the breeding season in 2020 in Croatia while ringing nestlings. The anthropogenic particles were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the fauna was identified using identification guides. The most common organic polymers connected with plastic masses obtained by FTIR analysis are: dotriacontane, octacosane, bromomesitylene, octadecyllamine, polystyrene and enzacry polyacetal. The most common prey remains found in pellets are from Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Lumbricidae and Rodentia. Given that during the nesting season, white storks are looking for food near the nest, analysis of the pellets can serve as a relative indicator of local microplastic pollution and habitat biodiversity. The implementation of FTIR analysis in future studies with the work on plastic is necessary in order to avoid the misidentification of organic polymers for synthetic polymers and to obtain a clearer understanding of the potential severity of vector transmission of pollutants through plastics to birds.

anthropogenic particles, pellets, FTIR analysis, microplastics

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