Ovrednotenje mikroplastike v piščančjem fecesu in okolju vzreje

Kepic, Krištof (author), Klančnik, Anja (mentor), Kovac Viršek, Manca (comentor)

Mikroplastika, sintetični delci manjši od 5 mm in večji od 1μm, je prisotna v vseh ekosistemih. Preko vode, živali, morske hrane, živil živalskega in rastlinskega izvora vstopa v prehransko verigo, kjer predstavlja potencialno tveganje za zdravje ljudi. V magistrski nalogi smo določili prisotnost mikroplastike v piščančjih fecesih in okolju vzreje. Piščančje fecese (slepa črevesa) smo vzorčili na 14 farmah ter pridobili 140 vzorcev. Dodatno smo vzorčili tudi celotna prebavila treh piščancev iz iste farme. Testno smo vzročili tudi okolje vzreje: vodovodno vodo, vodo iz pitnikov ter krmo. Vzorce prebavil smo kemijsko razgradili z 10 % KOH (v razmerju 1:5; 48 ur, 37 °C in 100 rpm) ter jih s filtracijo prenesli na najlonske filtre. Za izolacijo mikroplastike iz vzorcev krme smo uporabili različne metode. Ločevanje na osnovi razlike v gostoti, razgradnjo z raztopino KOH in H₂O₂ in uporaba metode barvanja mikroplastike. Izolirano mikroplastiko smo vizualno ter kemijsko analizirali. Vizualno analizo smo izvedli pod stereomikroskopom ter mikroplastiki določili obliko, barvo, velikost in prosojnosot. Kemijsko analizo smo izvedli z uporabo spektroskopske tehnike FTIR. Iz vzorcev piščančjih fecesov smo izolirali 57 delcev mikroplastike, največ prisotne mikroplastike je bilo iz polipropilena. Iz vzorca vodovodne vode smo izolirali 5 delcev (od tega 4 polimere polietilena), iz vzorca vode iz pitnikov pa 1 delec. Metode izolacije mikroplastike iz krme nismo uspeli optimizirati. Iz piščančjih prebavil smo izolirali 32 delcev (13 polimerov polietilena). Rezultati magistrske naloge so potrdili prisotnost mikroplastike v piščančjih fecesih in okolju vzreje. Naloga predstavlja eno prvih raziskav o prisotnosti mikroplastike na piščančjih farmah v Sloveniji. Kontaminacija živali in hrane z mikroplastiko predstavlja potencialno tveganje za zdravje ljudi, zato so potrebne nadaljnje raziskave.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mikroplastika, piščanci, piščančji feces, piščančja prebavila, okolje vzreje
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publisher: [K. Kepic]
• Year: 2025
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-171333
• UDC: 504.5:678.5/.7:579.6
• COBISS.SI-ID: 246444803
• Publication date in RUL: 23.08.2025

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Determination of microplastics in chicken feces and the rearing environment

Abstract

Microplastics, synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm and larger than 1 μm, are present in all ecosystems. Through water, animals, seafood, and food of both animal and plant origin, they enter the food chain, where they pose a potential risk to human health. In this master’s thesis, we determined the presence of microplastics in chicken feces and the rearing environment. Chicken feces (ceca) were sampled from 14 farms, resulting in 140 samples. Additionally, complete digestive tracts of three chickens from the same farm were collected. As a pilot test, samples were also taken from the rearing environment, including tap water, drinking water from drinkers, and feed. Digestive tract samples were chemically digested using 10% KOH (at a ratio of 1:5; 48 hours, 37 °C, and 100 rpm) and filtered onto nylon membranes. For the isolation of microplastics from feed samples, different methods were tested: density separation, digestion with KOH and H₂O₂, and microplastic staining techniques. Isolated microplastics were visually and chemically analyzed. Visual analysis was performed under a stereomicroscope, assessing particle shape, color, size, and transparency. Chemical analysis was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). From chicken feces samples, 57 microplastic particles were isolated, with polypropylene being the most commonly detected polymer. Five particles were isolated from the tap water sample (four of them polyethylene), and one particle was found in the drinking water sample. Methods for isolating microplastics from feed could not be successfully optimized. From the chicken digestive tract samples, 32 particles were isolated (13 of them polyethylene). The results confirmed the presence of microplastics in both chicken feces and the rearing environment. This thesis represents one of the first studies on microplastic contamination in poultry farms in Slovenia. The contamination of animals and food products with microplastics poses a potential risk to human health, highlighting the need for further research.

• Keywords: microplastics, poultry, poultry feces, chicken gastrointestinal tract, rearing environment