Effects of polyethylene microplastics and Salmonella co-exposure in ceca of broiler chickens

Presented on April 18, 2023, by Chamia Chatman - PhD Candidate, University of Wisconsin - Madison - 2023 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference (ECEC23)
Effects of polyethylene microplastics and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium co-exposure in ceca of broiler chickens
Abstract:
Microplastics (MPs) are plastic fragments less than 5 mm that have been implicated in negative health impacts following exposure. MPs are increasingly being found in locations where there could be an interaction with pathogens such as Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. This study aimed to elucidate the interaction of polyethylene MPs and S. Typhimurium and how this co-exposure alters the cecal microbiome. We focused on polyethylene MPs which is one of the most abundant plastics found in the environment and in food packaging materials. We assessed two common forms of polyethylene: powder and fiber. For this study, we utilized chicken cecal mesocosms (n=60) for a 24 h co-exposure. 16S community sequencing results indicate that polyethylene fiber treatment groups with and without S. Typhimurium had greater changes to cecal taxonomic composition following a 24 h exposure. However, changes in the total metabolome were primarily driven by the presence of S. Typhimurium. Further experiments will be needed with this in vitro cecal microbiome model to indicate if and how a high concentration of polyethylene microplastics and S. Typhimurium will lead to phenotypes for gastrointestinal disorders. This will give insight into human health implications from consumption of or interaction with chicken contaminated with this co-exposure.