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Identification, characterisation and implication of releasing microplastics from personal care and cosmetic products in India
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Analysis of ten personal care and cosmetic products sold in India—including toothpaste, face scrubs, and eyeliner—confirmed the presence of polyethylene microplastics in nearly all samples, with additional traces of PVC and PET detected by FTIR spectroscopy. These findings highlight that everyday consumer products are a direct primary source of microplastic release into wastewater, contributing to broader environmental and human exposure.
Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging pollutants of global concern due to their persistence in the environment and potential impacts on both human and ecological health. Personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs) have been identified as a significant source of primary microplastics entering wastewater systems and, eventually, aquatic environments. This study aims to analyze and characterize the presence of microplastics in cosmetic and personal care products widely available in India—a rapidly developing country with a growing consumer base for skincare and beauty products. A total of ten different PCCPs were collected for analysis, including toothpaste, nail paint, facewash, face scrub, body scrub, mask, and eyeliner. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to identify the polymer types, while visual characterization was conducted to examine morphology, texture, and coloration of the particles. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of polyethylene (PE) in all samples except the walnut-based face scrub. Additional absorbance bands indicated traces of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in some samples. Visual inspection revealed dominant colors such as brown, blue, red, yellow, white, silver, and bronze. The facewash sample contained smooth, round MPs; scrub and mask showed creamy, white textures; nail paint exhibited lavender glitter before digestion and silver particles after digestion. The largest microplastic observed was a fiber-shaped particle (690 ± 20 μm) found in eyeliner. This study provides the first reliable evidence of the presence and characterization of microplastics in personal care products marketed in India. The findings underscore the urgent need for regulatory policies to limit or ban microplastic use in cosmetics and to encourage sustainable alternatives. These persistent pollutants, once discharged into wastewater, pose significant risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health through bioaccumulation and food chain contamination.
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