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Article

First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan

by
Muhammad Bilal
1,
Madiha Taj
2,
Habib Ul Hassan
3,4,*,
Atif Yaqub
1,
Muhammad Ishaq Ali Shah
5,
Muhammad Sohail
6,
Naseem Rafiq
7,
Usman Atique
8,
Mohammad Abbas
9,
Saira Sultana
10,
Umaiya Abdali
10 and
Takaomi Arai
11
1
Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
2
Department of Environmental Sciences, Government Degree College Gulabad, Adenzai 24461, Pakistan
3
Department of Zoology (MRCC), University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
4
Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
5
Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
6
Department of Biology, Government Postgraduate College Sahiwal, Sahiwal 40210, Pakistan
7
Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
8
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, College of Biological Systems, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
9
Department of Zoology, Quaid-i- Azam University, Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
10
Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
11
Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei
 
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Toxics 2023, 11(7), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070612
Submission received: 2 March 2023 / Revised: 2 April 2023 / Accepted: 3 April 2023 / Published: 14 July 2023
(This article belongs to the Section Ecotoxicology)
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Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental health concern due to their widespread occurrence in food sources such as fish, meat, chicken, honey, sugar, salt, tea and drinking water, thereby posing possible risks to human health. This study aimed to observe the existence of MPs in the crop and gizzard of the farm chicken, a significant food source in Pakistan. Twenty-four chicken samples were taken from eight poultry farms across Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 1227 MP particles were found from 24 samples (crop and gizzards) originating from the 8 poultry farms. In all, 429 MP particles were found in 24 chicken crops, with a mean of 17.8 ± 12.1 MPs/crop. In contrast, 798 MP particles were found in 24 chicken gizzards, with a mean of 33.25 ± 17.8 MPs/gizzard. Comparatively larger particles, ranging between 300–500 µm, were more abundant (63%) than other considered sizes (300–150 µm [21%] and 150–50 µm [16%]). Additionally, fragments were the dominant type of shape in both sample types (crop [64%] and gizzard [53%]). The predominant colours of particles extracted from gizzards and crops were yellow (32%) and red (32%), respectively. Chemical characterisation of these particles detected four types of polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) at 51.2%, followed by low-density polyethylene (LDPE) at 30.7%, polystyrene (PS) at 13.6% and polypropylene homopolymer (PPH) at 4.5%. In conclusion, we provide evidence for MPs in the gizzards and crops of farmed chickens which may originate from contaminated poultry feed. Only a few studies have been reported globally to assess MPs ingestion in chickens. The current study is the first report from Pakistan. It could be a valuable addition to support MPs literature to establish a relationship between MPs contamination and intake through the food chain.
Keywords: microplastics; poultry; gastrointestinal tract crop; gizzard; polymers; colour; Pakistan microplastics; poultry; gastrointestinal tract crop; gizzard; polymers; colour; Pakistan

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MDPI and ACS Style

Bilal, M.; Taj, M.; Ul Hassan, H.; Yaqub, A.; Shah, M.I.A.; Sohail, M.; Rafiq, N.; Atique, U.; Abbas, M.; Sultana, S.; et al. First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan. Toxics 2023, 11, 612. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070612

AMA Style

Bilal M, Taj M, Ul Hassan H, Yaqub A, Shah MIA, Sohail M, Rafiq N, Atique U, Abbas M, Sultana S, et al. First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan. Toxics. 2023; 11(7):612. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070612

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bilal, Muhammad, Madiha Taj, Habib Ul Hassan, Atif Yaqub, Muhammad Ishaq Ali Shah, Muhammad Sohail, Naseem Rafiq, Usman Atique, Mohammad Abbas, Saira Sultana, and et al. 2023. "First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan" Toxics 11, no. 7: 612. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070612

APA Style

Bilal, M., Taj, M., Ul Hassan, H., Yaqub, A., Shah, M. I. A., Sohail, M., Rafiq, N., Atique, U., Abbas, M., Sultana, S., Abdali, U., & Arai, T. (2023). First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan. Toxics, 11(7), 612. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070612

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