Summary
This study provides the first empirical evidence for the transfer of micro- and macroplastic from soil into terrestrial food webs via chickens in traditional home gardens. Microplastic concentrations showed a striking increase from soil (0.87 particles g⁻¹) through earthworm casts (14.8 particles g⁻¹) to chicken faeces (129.8 particles g⁻¹), with chicken gizzards containing detectable microplastics. The findings indicate that plastic pollution in agricultural soils poses a previously undocumented pathway for human exposure through consumption of poultry products, particularly in regions with poor waste management.
UK applicability
Whilst this study was conducted in Mexico where waste mismanagement is acknowledged as common, the underlying mechanism of plastic transfer through soil food webs is relevant to UK agricultural systems. UK studies would be needed to establish whether comparable plastic accumulation occurs in British soils and poultry systems, though the findings suggest monitoring of plastic contamination in UK livestock production may be warranted.
Key measures
Microplastic particles per gram of soil, earthworm casts, and chicken faeces; microplastic and macroplastic particle counts in chicken gizzards and crops; particle size distribution (1-10 mm category)
Outcomes reported
The study quantified micro- and macroplastic concentrations across soil, earthworm casts, chicken faeces, crops and chicken gizzards in traditional Mayan home gardens. It demonstrated that both microplastic and macroplastic particles accumulate and transfer through terrestrial food webs, with significantly higher concentrations in chicken tissues than in crops.
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