Preliminary observation of microplastic contamination in some spice-salt samples purchased in Hanoi city

Currently, plastic and microplastic pollution have become a common problem in many countries around the world, especially in developing countries, including Vietnam. Salt is the main ingredient in most of the spices used, but microplastic contamination has also been reported in seasalt samples in Vietnam. This paper presents the observation results of microplastic concentrations in some spice-salt samples that were purchased in the market in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The analysis results showed that the microplastic concentrations in the spice-salt samples varied in a wide range, from 320 to 1880 items/kg spice-salt. Microplastic fibers accounted for the majority (99%), whereas fragment forms accounted for a negligible proportion (1%). Microplastics were observed with a wide variety of colors, of which blue, red, and black were predominant. The results contribute to assessing the level of microplastic contamination in spice-salts in Hanoi city, Vietnam in order to give warnings and propose solutions to prevent and minimize microplastic contamination in spice-salt, for protecting the health of human consumers.