Article
?
AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button.
Tier 2
?
Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Human Health Effects
Marine & Wildlife
Sign in to save
Microplastics in marine-derived traditional Chinese medicine, potential threat to patients
The Science of The Total Environment2023
12 citations
?
Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
?
0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Ziying Zhu,
Han Gong
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Muting Yan,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Xiaocui Wang,
Ziying Zhu,
Muting Yan,
Xiaocui Wang,
Xiaocui Wang,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Muting Yan,
Xiaocui Wang,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Xiaocui Wang,
Xiaocui Wang,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Xiaocui Wang,
Xiaocui Wang,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Xukun Wang,
Xukun Wang,
Ziying Zhu,
Ziying Zhu,
Xukun Wang,
Xukun Wang,
Xiaocui Wang,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Wenqian Guo,
Xiaocui Wang,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Xiaocui Wang,
Wenqian Guo,
Han Gong
Xiaocui Wang,
Han Gong
Muxian Yan,
Xiaocui Wang,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Han Gong
Muxian Yan,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Han Gong
Han Gong
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Muting Yan,
Han Gong
Summary
Researchers detected microplastics in all nine types of marine-derived traditional Chinese medicines tested, with abundances ranging from 0.07 to 9.53 items per gram, representing the first documented evidence of microplastic contamination in these widely consumed medicinal products.
Microplastics (MPs) contamination is widely found in marine organisms. Marine traditional Chinese medicines (MTCM) are derived from marine organisms, but there are no relevant reports on detecting MPs in MTCM. This study selected samples of MTCM from two representative pharmaceutical companies, Brand F and Brand Z, including mother-of-pearl, stone cassia, seaweed, pumice, oyster, kombu, calcined Concha Arcae, cuttlebone, and clam shell to detect and analyze the presence of MPs. The abundance, type, color, size, and composition of MPs were investigated. Varying degrees of MPs contamination was present in all MTCM. The abundance of MPs in different MTCM ranged from 0.07 to 9.53 items/g. Their type, color, and size are similar, mainly fiber, transparent and size <2 mm. The composition of MPs is primarily made of cotton, cellulose and rayon. This study contributes to the first record of MPs in MTCM. Our results show that microplastic pollution is common in MTCM, which may cause potential risk to patients consuming MTCM.