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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic contamination in Indian rice: A comprehensive characterization and health risk assessment
ClearMicroplastics retrieval from commercial rice brands in india: Characterization, dietary exposure, and risk assessment
Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in commercial rice brands from India for the first time, finding contamination in a staple food consumed by hundreds of millions of people. Fiber and fragment morphotypes dominated, with polymer identification confirming synthetic plastic rather than processing artifacts.
Are we eating microplastics with our staple food? A pioneering study of microplastic contamination in store-bought rice and cooked rice in Bangladesh
In the first study of its kind in Bangladesh, researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in 15 commonly consumed store-bought rice varieties in both raw and cooked forms. The study found microplastics present in rice samples and estimated potential human exposure through this staple food, highlighting a previously overlooked dietary source of microplastic intake.
Microplastics retrieval from commercial rice brands in india: Characterization, dietary exposure, and risk assessment
Researchers detected microplastics for the first time in commercial rice brands sold in India, using FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy to identify polymer types. The findings raise concerns about dietary microplastic exposure through one of the world's most widely consumed staple foods.
Plastics aplenty in paddy lands: incidence of microplastics in two rice cultivars of Kerala, India, and its impact on primary producers found in paddy fields
This study reports microplastic contamination in paddy fields and two rice cultivars in Kerala, India, raising concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through staple crops. The presence of microplastics in rice cultivation environments represents an understudied pathway for human ingestion.
Plastics aplenty in paddy lands: incidence of microplastics in Indian rice fields and ecotoxicity on paddy field phytoplankton
Researchers found microplastic contamination in the surface water of rice paddy fields in Kerala, India, with polyethylene and polypropylene fragments being the most common types. Microplastic levels were three times higher during the planting phase than near harvest, and the plastics affected the growth of tiny organisms that naturally live in rice paddies. These findings are concerning because rice is a dietary staple, and microplastics in rice paddies could potentially enter the food supply.
Screening method for differentiation of plastic and non-plastic microparticles contaminating store-bought rice
Researchers tested five brands of store-bought rice and found plastic microparticles in all of them regardless of packaging type, with concentrations as high as 12 particles per gram of rice. Using simple optical microscopy and infrared spectroscopy, the study shows that a low-cost screening method can quickly distinguish true microplastics from other particles like rice starch or cellulose, an important step toward routine food safety monitoring.
Microplastics contamination in selected staple consumer food products
Researchers in the Philippines found microplastics in common staple foods including sea salt, sugar, rice, and fish sauce, with sea salt having the highest contamination at about 471 particles per kilogram. PVC from processing equipment and PET from plastic packaging were the most common types found. This study provides direct evidence that people are consuming microplastics through everyday foods, raising questions about the safety of plastic materials used in food manufacturing and packaging.
Microplastic contamination in thirty commercially important fish species: Distribution, polymer composition, pollution indices, and human health risks
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 600 specimens across 30 commercially important fish species from the Indian coast, finding the highest accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract with carnivorous species carrying the greatest burden. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers were the dominant particle types, and human health risk assessment showed measurable daily intake from consuming these fish, with pollution indices indicating considerable to medium hazard risk levels.
Microplastics as a contaminant in Indian riverine system: a review
This systematic review examines microplastic contamination across India's river systems, documenting the types, sources, and concentrations of plastic particles found in major waterways. The findings are concerning for human health because these rivers provide drinking water and irrigation for hundreds of millions of people, creating widespread potential exposure to microplastics.
Baseline assessment of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from the coastal stretches of Karnataka and Goa, Southwestern India
Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in paddy field soils across coastal regions of Karnataka and Goa in India, finding microplastics in every sample tested at all depths up to 30 cm. Fibers and polypropylene particles were the most common types, likely originating from agricultural plastic use and atmospheric deposition. The presence of toxic heavy metals on the microplastic surfaces raises additional concerns about contamination of rice crops grown in these soils.
Microplastic pollution in terrestrial environment: Identification, characterization, and risk assessment in Indore, Central India
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in soil from agricultural and recreational areas in Indore, India. Recreational sites had about six times more microplastic particles than farmland, with most particles made of common plastics like PET and polypropylene. While the ecological risk was rated low for now, the long-term buildup of these particles in soil could eventually pose threats to crops and the food chain.
Abundance, characteristics, and risk assessment of microplastics in indigenous freshwater fishes of India
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in five widely consumed freshwater fish species from India and found plastic particles in all specimens, with fibers being the most dominant type. Evidence of microplastics in edible fish tissue indicates translocation from the gut, suggesting a pathway for human exposure through consumption. Risk assessment showed that while microplastic abundance posed a low quantitative risk, the polymer types identified indicated a high hazard potential for the fish species studied.
Fate of nano/microplastics and associated toxic pollutants in paddy ecosystems: Current knowledge and future perspectives
Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics enter rice paddies through irrigation, mulch films, and atmospheric deposition, then harm soil health and rice plant growth by disrupting nutrient cycles and increasing oxidative stress. Their findings are especially significant because rice feeds more than half the world's population, yet research on plastic contamination in paddy systems remains very limited.
Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Food Grade Salts in India
Researchers analyzed 30 brands of food-grade salt available in India and found microplastics in all samples, with sea salt containing 13 to 27 particles per 100 grams and rock salt containing 8 to 29 particles per 100 grams. Particle sizes ranged from about 19 to 1,433 micrometers, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was the most commonly identified polymer. The study suggests that salt is a routine dietary source of microplastic exposure for consumers.
Occurrence, quantification and characterisation of microplastics in Godavari River, India
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in the Godavari River in India, finding an average of 3.9 particles per liter across six sites, with fibers making up over 80% of particles and polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common polymer types. Urban areas had higher concentrations, and the presence of these plastics in a major river system poses risks to agriculture and human health through contaminated water and food sources.
Estimated exposure to microplastics through national and local brands of bottled water in Central India
Researchers tested bottled water from national and local brands in central India and found microplastics in every single sample, with local brands containing about three times more than national brands. The most common particles were polyethylene and PET fragments, likely coming from the plastic bottles and caps themselves. The study estimated that people drinking bottled water in India could be consuming tens of thousands of microplastic particles per year, highlighting bottled water as a significant source of human exposure.
Microplastic Contamination in Human Stools, Foods, and Drinking Water Associated with Indonesian Coastal Population
Researchers detected microplastics in the stool samples of more than half of the fishing community members tested in coastal Indonesia, with high-density polyethylene being the most common type found. Microplastics were also found in the seafood, staple foods, drinking water, table salt, and toothpaste regularly consumed by these participants. The study provides direct evidence that microplastics are entering the human body through multiple everyday sources in coastal populations.
Microplastic pollution in India-Evidence of major health concern
This review documents evidence for major microplastic health concerns in India, covering contamination of food, water, and air in urban and rural contexts, and calling for nationally coordinated monitoring and regulatory responses to plastic pollution.
Human Consumption of Microplastics
Researchers evaluated the American diet and estimated that the average person consumes between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles per year through food alone, with the number rising significantly when inhalation and bottled water consumption are included. The study analyzed data from 26 prior studies covering common food categories. The findings highlight that microplastic exposure through everyday eating and drinking is widespread and substantial.
Health risk assessment of microplastics contamination in the daily diet of South Asian countries
This meta-analysis found that South Asians ingest an estimated 508-2,280 microplastic particles per person per day through food, with salt, fish, milk, and drinking water showing hazard scores above global averages. High-risk polymers including PVC, polyurethane, and polyamide were identified, with annual microplastic ingestion rates reaching up to 36.3 grams per person through fish consumption alone.
Microplastics in take-out food: Are we over taking it?
This study measured microplastic abundance and characteristics in 146 take-out food samples including rice, noodles, bubble tea, and coffee from disposable containers. The mean abundance was 639 microplastics per kilogram, with rice having the highest contamination, and the majority were fragments and fibers consistent with packaging and handling materials.
Size-dependent effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the quality of rice grains and the metabolism mechanism
Researchers found that tiny polystyrene plastic particles (under 100 nanometers) were absorbed by rice roots and traveled up into the grain, reducing protein content by up to 29%. The smallest particles weakened the plant's natural defenses by disrupting sugar metabolism. This means microplastics in soil could be silently lowering the nutritional quality of rice that people eat.
Food Contamination with Micro-plastics: Occurrences, Bioavailability,Human Vulnerability, and Prevention
The study reviews the occurrence, bioavailability, and potential health impacts of microplastics in food, noting that contamination has been detected in foodstuffs and beverages worldwide. Researchers highlight that current data on dietary microplastic exposure remains insufficient for comprehensive risk assessment, and call for standardized methodologies to better evaluate the threat to human health.
Impact and mitigation of lead, cadmium and micro/nano plastics in fragrant rice.
Researchers reviewed the combined risks of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) and micro(nano)plastics in fragrant rice, exploring their impact on rice quality, aroma, and safety given that over 50% of the global population consumes rice daily.