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Food & Water
Policy & Risk
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Microplastic contamination in processed and unprocessed sea salts from a developing country and potential risk assessment
Chemosphere2022
39 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Partho Banik,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Jimmy C. Yu,
M. Belal Hossain,
Jimmy C. Yu,
M. Belal Hossain,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Partho Banik,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
M. Belal Hossain,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Partho Banik,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
M. Belal Hossain,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Partho Banik,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Samia Islam Liba,
Partho Banik,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Partho Banik,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Takaomi Arai
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Samia Islam Liba,
Samia Islam Liba,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Jimmy C. Yu,
S. Umamaheswari,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
As-Ad Ujjaman Nur,
Jimmy C. Yu,
Takaomi Arai
S. Umamaheswari,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Takaomi Arai
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Takaomi Arai
Jimmy C. Yu,
Takaomi Arai
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Takaomi Arai
M. Belal Hossain,
Takaomi Arai
Partho Banik,
Partho Banik,
Takaomi Arai
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Jimmy C. Yu,
Jimmy C. Yu,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Takaomi Arai
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Samia Islam Liba,
Jimmy C. Yu,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
M. Belal Hossain,
Mohammed Fahad Albeshr,
Takaomi Arai
M. Belal Hossain,
Jimmy C. Yu,
Jimmy C. Yu,
Takaomi Arai
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
M. Belal Hossain,
Takaomi Arai
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
M. Belal Hossain,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Jimmy C. Yu,
Takaomi Arai
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
M. Belal Hossain,
Takaomi Arai
Takaomi Arai
Jimmy C. Yu,
Takaomi Arai
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Takaomi Arai
M. Belal Hossain,
Venkatramanan Senapathi,
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury,
Takaomi Arai
Summary
Researchers found that sea salts from Bangladesh contained 157-195 microplastic particles per kilogram, 2-3 times higher than levels reported in other countries, with unprocessed salts containing more contamination than processed varieties.
In aquatic environments, microplastics (MPs) are pervasive which could have a considerable negative impact on the environment, organisms and pose a risk to human health. However, knowledge about the exposure and ecological risk of MPs in the coastal ecosystems of developing countries is limited. In this study, we analyzed salt samples from five commonly consumed processed and unprocessed sea salts of different commercial brands originated from 15 salt pans in Bangladesh to assess the abundance, characteristics and potential risks of MPs. The quantities of MPs in unprocessed salts (average 195 ± 56 item/kg) were higher than those in the processed salts (average 157 ± 34 item/kg). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant (p < 0.05) differences among the average numbers of MPs in both processed and unprocessed salts. MP levels in this study were 2-3 times higher than those reported from some other countries. Fiber-shaped and transparent MPs were dominant in both cases. MPs less than 0.5 mm in size were the most abundant in both unprocessed (58.2%) and processed (62.2%) salts. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed five types of polymers, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET-35%), polypropylene (PP-27.5%), polyethylene (PE-25%), polystyrene (PS-10%), and Nylon (2.5%) in the studied salts. The sea salts were classified as potential hazard index (PHI) levels IV to V, indicating serious MP contamination, whereas potential ecological risk factor (E), potential ecological risk index (RI), and pollutant load index (PLI) indicated moderate levels of pollution of MPs. Domestic and municipal wastewater effluents to Bay of Bengal and fishing activities may attributed to presence of MPs in the sea salt. These findings can be used by consumers, salt industries and policy makers to reduce MPs levels during consumption, production and policymaking.