Field evidence for transfer of plastic debris along a terrestrial food chain

Abstract

Although plastic pollution happens globally, the micro- (−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.