Summary
This field study provides first evidence that micro- and macroplastic particles transfer from soil to chickens in traditional home garden systems in Southeast Mexico, where waste mismanagement is prevalent. Microplastic concentrations increased along the soil–earthworm–chicken pathway, and gizzards (an edible organ) accumulated significantly more plastic particles than crops. The findings demonstrate that terrestrial food webs can incorporate plastic debris as a contaminant pathway to human food sources.
UK applicability
Whilst UK farming is more formalised than the Mayan smallholder systems studied, plastic contamination of agricultural soils is also documented in the UK through compost application and waste leakage. The findings suggest that UK poultry and other livestock systems should be assessed for similar plastic bioaccumulation pathways, particularly in areas with informal waste management or intensive compost use.
Key measures
Microplastic concentrations (particles g⁻¹) in soil, earthworm casts, and chicken faeces; microplastic particle counts in chicken gizzards and crops; macroplastic particle counts (1–150 mm) in gizzards and crops
Outcomes reported
The study quantified micro- and macroplastic concentrations in soil, earthworm casts, chicken faeces, crops, and chicken gizzards in traditional Mayan home gardens. It provided first-time field evidence that micro- and macroplastic particles transfer from contaminated soil through the terrestrial food web to chickens raised for human consumption.
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