Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) walking with full belly at sunset, Antarctica

Portuguese study finds microplastics in penguins in Antarctica

An international study led by scientists at FCTUC (Coimbra University’s Faculty of Sciences and Technology) has identified the presence of microplastics (plastic particles measuring less than 5mm) in the feces of penguins in Antarctica. The bottom line of the investigation, findings of which are published in Science of the Total Environment magazine, is that microplastics are now “ increasingly widespread in marine ecosystems…which is worrying given their persistence in the environment and their accumulation in food chains”.