Search

Simple Summary: Microplastics are widespread anthropogenic contaminants, imposing a potential threat to organisms. A preliminary study was conducted to assess microplastics in postmortem samples of internal tissues of companion animals. Suspected microplastics were observed in the internal tissues of cats and dogs. Suspected microplastics were found in 35 out of 49 animals and 80 out of 242 samples. Particles sized 1–10 µm comprised 50.3% of the suspected microplastics. The number of particles found was very low and analytical methods must still be developed to improve the characterization and quantification of smaller-sized factions of microplastics. Moreover, this study suggests that microplastics may be internalized and distributed to the internal tissues of terrestrial vertebrates. Companion animals living in urban areas are exposed to environmental contaminants, which may include microplastics. A preliminary study was conducted by collecting postmortem samples from the internal tissue (lungs, ileum, liver, kidney, and blood clots) of 25 dogs (Canis familiaris) and 24 cats (Felis catus) living in an urban environment in Porto metropolitan area, Portugal. Suspected microplastics were found in 80 samples from 35 animals (18 cats and 17 dogs), often occurring in more than one tissue of the same animal (71.4%), primarily under small sizes (50.3% as 1–10 µm). Micro-Raman spectroscopy confirmed a fraction of particles as common polymer types (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate). However, the number of particles was very low. This study highlights the possibilities of the internalization and distribution of microplastics in the internal tissues of terrestrial vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Because "things aren't"» is a text that summarizes some observations and experiences that took place during five years of frequency of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Oporto (FAUO). In these lines, I grouped stories and thoughts that hardly would reach the public domain because they took place in the closed space of a classroom. Starting with the motto, "The Teaching of History of Art in FAUO after the April Revolution", I assumed the position that I had until now - the student's position - and, therefore, in this document, I put in practice a (self-)exercise of oral history about "The Learning of History of Art in FAUO after the September 2007 Revolution". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]