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Field evidence for transfer of plastic debris along a terrestrial food chain
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Researchers provided the first field evidence of micro- and macroplastic transfer through a terrestrial food chain, studying soil, earthworms, and free-range chickens in Mayan home gardens in Mexico. Microplastic concentrations increased dramatically from soil to earthworm casts to chicken feces, demonstrating accumulation up the food chain. The findings show that plastic debris enters terrestrial food webs relevant to human consumption, particularly in areas with poor waste management.
Although plastic pollution happens globally, the micro- (<5 mm) and macroplastic (5-150 mm) transfer of plastic to terrestrial species relevant to human consumption has not been examined. We provide first-time evidence for micro- and macroplastic transfer from soil to chickens in traditional Mayan home gardens in Southeast Mexico where waste mismanagement is common. We assessed micro- and macroplastic in soil, earthworm casts, chicken feces, crops and gizzards (used for human consumption). Microplastic concentrations increased from soil (0.87 ± 1.9 particles g-1), to earthworm casts (14.8 ± 28.8 particles g-1), to chicken feces (129.8 ± 82.3 particles g-1). Chicken gizzards contained 10.2 ± 13.8 microplastic particles, while no microplastic was found in crops. An average of 45.82 ± 42.6 macroplastic particles were found per gizzard and 11 ± 15.3 macroplastic particles per crop, with 1-10 mm particles being significantly more abundant per gizzard (31.8 ± 27.27 particles) compared to the crop (1 ± 2.2 particles). The data show that micro- and macroplastic are capable of entering terrestrial food webs.
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