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Bilal M, Taj M, Ul Hassan H, Yaqub A, Shah MIA, Sohail M, Rafiq N, Atique U, Abbas M, Sultana S, Abdali U, Arai T. First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan. TOXICS 2023; 11:612. [PMID: 37505577 PMCID: PMC10383900 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Madiha Taj
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Government Degree College Gulabad, Adenzai 24461, Pakistan
| | - Habib Ul Hassan
- Department of Zoology (MRCC), University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Atif Yaqub
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Sohail
- Department of Biology, Government Postgraduate College Sahiwal, Sahiwal 40210, Pakistan
| | - Naseem Rafiq
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
| | - Usman Atique
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, College of Biological Systems, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohammad Abbas
- Department of Zoology, Quaid-i- Azam University, Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Saira Sultana
- Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Umaiya Abdali
- Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Takaomi Arai
- Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei
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Bilal M, Qadir A, Yaqub A, Hassan HU, Irfan M, Aslam M. Microplastics in water, sediments, and fish at Alpine River, originating from the Hindu Kush Mountain, Pakistan: implications for conservation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:727-738. [PMID: 35906523 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22212-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) pollution is an emerging threat to life and the environment. These particles are not restricted to human-inhabited lands but also found in different mountains and glaciers where the human population is relatively low. These MPs make their way to the river ecosystem from glaciers, rains, and municipal and industrial effluents. The current study was designed to highlight MPs' pollution in water, sediments, and fishes of the Swat River: originating from the Hindu Kush Mountain Range. These samples were collected from eight different sites across the river. An average concentration of MPs detected in water samples (305.79 ± 289.66 MPs/m3), fish (12.54 ± 8.02 MPs/individual), and sediments (588.29 ± 253.95 MPs/kg). The highest concentration was observed among water samples at Mingora city and the lowest at the confluence point of the rivers near Charsadda being 753.71 ± 330.08 MPs/m3 and 57.64 ± 31.98 MPs/m3, respectively. MP concentrations in the sediment samples were also the highest at Mingora city (834.0 ± 367.21 MPs/kg), and lowest at Chakdara (215.0 ± 20.0 MPs/kg). Among the fish samples, Schizothorax plagiostomus contained the highest while Wallago attu contained the lowest MP concentrations corresponding to 17.08 ± 8.27 MPs/individual and 5.0 ± 2.36 MPs/individual, respectively. Fibers were the most prevalent MPs in all the matrices representing 80%, 92%, and 85% of the total MP count in water, sediments, and fish samples. These findings highlighted that freshwater ecosystem are not free from MPs and are as much vulnerable to anthropogenic activities as marine ecosystem. Therefore, need attention not less than marine ecosystem awareness, education, ecotourism, sustainable reduction in plastic use, and strict rules and regulations could be helpful to prevent the anthropogenic menace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qadir
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Atif Yaqub
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Habib Ul Hassan
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
- Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mehmood Aslam
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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Bilal M, Ul Hassan H, Siddique MAM, Khan W, Gabol K, Ullah I, Sultana S, Abdali U, Mahboob S, Khan MS, Atique U, Khubaib M, Arai T. Microplastics in the Surface Water and Gastrointestinal Tract of Salmo trutta from the Mahodand Lake, Kalam Swat in Pakistan. TOXICS 2022; 11:toxics11010003. [PMID: 36668729 PMCID: PMC9865100 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is becoming an increasingly severe environmental problem. As compared to the marine ecosystem, freshwater ecosystems at high-altitude, remote regions are less studied and lag far behind. Thus, the present study aims to highlight this issue and fill the gap in this regard. The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the surface water and the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from Lake Mahodand, Kalam Swat, Pakistan, at a high altitude of 2865 m above sea level was investigated. For microplastic extraction, samples were digested with H2O2, NaCl solution was added for density separation, and then samples were filtered with a cellulose nitrate filter (pore size 0.45 µ). After this, visual observation and polymer detection with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, microplastics were characterized by their shapes, sizes, colors, and polymer types. In the surface water sample, MP particles were found in the range of 0−5 MPs/L, where the mean concentration of MPs was 2.3 ± 1.52 MPs/L and 1.7 ± 1.05 MPs/gastrointestinal tract (GIT) isolated from the GIT of brown trout. Particles of relatively larger size (500−300 µm) were more abundant than other ranges of particles (300−150 and 150−50 µm) in the surface water and fish samples. The fiber was the most abundant shape of MP particles, followed by sheets and fragments in surface water and fish samples (fibers > sheets > fragments). Four types of polymer viz. low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (44.4%), polypropylene homopolymer (PPH) (19.4%), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (30.5%), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) (5.5%) were detected by FTIR spectroscopy. The findings of the present study showed that MPs reached into higher altitudes in remote areas due to tourism activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Habib Ul Hassan
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | | | - Wali Khan
- Department of Zoology, University of Malakand, Chakdara 18800, Pakistan
| | - Karim Gabol
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ullah
- Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Saira Sultana
- Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Umaiya Abdali
- Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Shahid Mahboob
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Usman Atique
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, College of Biological Systems, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Muhammad Khubaib
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
| | - Takaomi Arai
- Environmental and Life Sciences Programme, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei
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