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Plastic pollution has become a global concern, affecting many species around the world. While well-documented for marine ecosystems, the impact of plastic pollution on terrestrial ecosystems is comparatively limited. In fact, only recently have some studies begun to explore the occurrence, pathways, and impacts of plastic in the atmosphere and on terrestrial species. Here, we assess the presence of synthetic material in nests of three swift species breeding in the Western Palearctic: the common swift (Apus apus), the pallid swift (Apus pallidus), and the alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba). Using data from 487 nests spanning 25 colonies and seven European countries, we show that 36.5 % of the examined nests contained anthropogenic materials, mainly plastic debris. Notably, Pallid swifts' nests, with 85 % of the total nests examined with plastic, rank among birds with the highest plastic content in nests. We also demonstrate that the probability of finding plastic in the nest increased substantially with the human footprint of the landscape. Last, we recorded four cases of swifts entangled in their own nest, a low proportion compared to other species studied previously. Our study provides compelling evidence that plastic pollution may also be considered a concern for other terrestrial species, particularly for birds with highly aerial lifestyles, such as other swifts. The correlation with the human footprint suggests that areas with higher human activity contribute more significantly. Moreover, the entanglement cases, although low, indicate a threat to bird health and welfare. To our knowledge, our study is the first to report a direct interaction between floating plastic debris in the atmosphere and any species. Understanding this interaction is key, not only due to the lack of research on the topic, but also because it highlights that plastic pollution is a multifaceted environmental issue affecting various ecosystem categories, and the broader implications of atmospheric plastic circulation on wildlife and ecosystems health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The widespread and excessive use of pesticides in modern agricultural practices has caused pesticide contamination of the environment, animals, and humans, with confirmed serious health consequences. This study aimed to identify the 20 most critical substances based on an analysis of detection frequency (DF) and median concentrations (MC) across environmental and biological matrices. A sampling campaign was conducted across 10 case study sites in Europe and 1 in Argentina, each encompassing conventional and organic farming systems. We analysed 209 active substances in a total of 4609 samples. All substances ranked among the 20 most critical were detected in silicon wristbands worn by humans and animals and indoor dust from both farming systems. Five of them were detected in all environmental matrices. Overall, higher values of DF and MC, including in the blood plasma of animals and humans, were recorded in samples of conventional compared to organic farms. The differences between farming systems were greater in the environmental samples and less in animal and human samples. Ten substances were detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms and eight in animal blood plasma from organic farms. Two of those, detected in both farming systems, are classified as hazardous for mammals (acute). Five substances detected in animal blood plasma from organic farms and seven detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms are classified as hazardous for mammals (dietary). Three substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as carcinogens. Seven of the substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as endocrine disruptors. Six substances, of which five were detected in human blood plasma, are hazardous for reproduction/development. Efforts are needed to elucidate the unknown effects of mixtures, and it is crucial that such research also considers biocides and banned substances, which constitute a baseline of contamination that adds to the effect of substances used in agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)