"Microplastic seasoning": A study on microplastic contamination of sea salts in Bangladesh

Mohammad Abdul Momin Siddique; Azad Uddin; Md Soliman Hossain; Shahriar Md Arifur Rahman; M Safiur Rahman; Golam Kibria; Guilherme Malafaia

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115863

"Microplastic seasoning": A study on microplastic contamination of sea salts in Bangladesh

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Jan:198:115863. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115863. Epub 2023 Nov 30.

Authors

Mohammad Abdul Momin Siddique¹, Azad Uddin², Md Soliman Hossain², Shahriar Md Arifur Rahman³, M Safiur Rahman⁴, Golam Kibria⁵, Guilherme Malafaia⁶

Affiliations

¹ University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrogenases, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Zatisi 728/II, 389 25 Vodnany, Czech Republic; Department of Oceanography, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh. Electronic address: siddique@jcu.cz.
² Department of Oceanography, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh.
³ Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh; Department of Natural Resource and Society, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
⁴ Water Quality Research Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Center, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, 4-Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shahbag, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
⁵ School of Science, RMIT University, Australia.
⁶ Laboratory of Toxicology Applied to the Environment, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Ecology, Conservation, and Biodiversity, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, G.O., Brazil. Electronic address: guilhermeifgoiano@gmail.com.

PMID: 38039574
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115863

Abstract

This study investigated microplastics (MPs) in commercial sea salts from Bangladesh. The presence of MPs in the 18 sea salt bands was 100 %, where the mean MPs abundance was 471.67 MPs/kg, ranging between 300 and 670 MPs/kg. The maximum number of MPs in the 300-1500 μm size class was significantly higher than the 1500-3000 μm and 3000-5000 μm size class. The most dominant color was black. Fibers and foams were the dominant shapes. The highest number of MPs was 41 %, obtained from coarse salt grains. Four types of polymers were mainly identified from the analyzed samples: PP, PE, PET, and PA. The mean polymer risk index value among these sea salts was 539 to 1257. The findings of this study can be helpful for consumers, salt industries, and policymakers to be aware of or reduce MP contamination levels in sea salts during production and consumption.

Keywords: Commercial salt; Contamination; Health risk; Microplastic; Table salt.

MeSH terms

Bangladesh
Environmental Monitoring
Microplastics*
Plastics
Salts
Sodium Chloride, Dietary / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Microplastics
Plastics
Salts
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Sodium Chloride, Dietary