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Microplastic contamination in oral pharmaceuticals for pregnant women and children: A neglected direct exposure pathway
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Researchers found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in common oral medicines and vitamins made for pregnant women and children, including capsules and pediatric vitamin drops. Some products, especially children's soft vitamin capsules, contained a wide mix of plastic types and dozens of particles per dose, while plain starch-based capsules had none detected. Since these medications are meant for the most vulnerable groups, this suggests drug manufacturing could be an overlooked source of microplastic exposure — and the study's authors argue drug makers should start testing for and limiting plastic contamination during production.
Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants, with pharmaceuticals emerging as a critical yet under-investigated human exposure pathway, this study systematically assessed MPs contamination in five oral formulations intended for vulnerable populations: starch-based capsules, enteric-coated capsules, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsules, and two pediatric vitamin AD soft capsules. Using Laser Direct Infrared Spectroscopy (LDIR), pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we detected MPs in all products.. LDIR identified particles of 20 - 286 µm comprising PE, PVC, PS, PP, PET, and synthetic rubbers, with contamination profiles varying significantly by dosage forms. Quantitative Py-GC/MS analysis quantified PE, PS, PVC, and PP. SEM revealed morphological evidence of particles, from film-like PP to fibrous PET. Notably, starch-based capsules showed no MPs at a confidence threshold ≥0.8, whereas pediatric soft capsules contained the highest diversity (12–16 polymer types, up to 156 particles per sample). This This first systematic evidence that oral pharmaceuticals—especially those for pregnant women and children—are a direct, overlooked MPs exposure pathway underscores an urgent need to integrate MPs monitoring into pharmaceutical quality control.
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