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Unveiling Microplastic Pollution in Commercial and Raw Salts from Palk Bay, Southeast Coast of India
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Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in raw and commercial salt samples from Palk Bay, India, identifying 205 MP particles per kilogram predominantly as fibers and polymers including polyethylene and PET, with raw salts showing higher contamination than processed commercial salts.
Microplastics (MPs) are found in the ocean all over the world. The objective of this study was to analyze microplastic (MP) contamination by comparing the abundance of MPs in commercial salts and unprocessed raw salts from the Palk Bay region. A total of 205 MPs particles/kg were identified through the eight salt samples (six raw salts and two commercial salts). The average concentration of MPs was 41 particles/kg in raw salt flats and 20.5 particles/kg in commercial salts. Among them, fibers (71%) were the most predominant type, followed by sheets (15%), and fragments (14%). The sizes of MPs in both commercial and raw salts ranged from 1 to 5 mm. Five types of polymers were identified: polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyamide (PA) in both salts types. These finding pointed out that raw salts indicated the highly contaminated by MPs which is directly originating from seawater and the occurrence of MPs in consumable salt highlights a possible risk to human health exposure through dietary sources.
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