Evaluation Of Trace Metal Runoff From Chicken Litter Application In The Bugaboo Watershed

Trace elements present in chicken litter are both naturally occurring and the result of anti-coccidial treatments and growth supplements. Specifically, arsenic, copper, manganese, and zinc are added to the feed. The impacts of elevated concentrations of toxic trace elements present in poultry litter (PL) have been a recent environmental concern, especially for plant and aquatic toxicity. If trace elements from poultry litter application are leaching into rivers and streams, aquatic organisms (particularly fish and aquatic invertebrate species) are at risk from elevated trace element exposure.