Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Preliminary investigation of microplastics in the production process of sea salt sourced from the Bohai Sea, China, using an optimised and consistent approach

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination through each stage of sea salt production in China, from seawater to refined salt. Microplastics were present throughout the process, with concentrations decreasing at later stages, but not eliminated entirely—highlighting table salt as a pathway for human microplastic ingestion.

2021 Food Additives & Contaminants Part A 10 citations
Article Tier 2

From Sea Water to Salt Crystals: An Onsite Investigation of Microplastics in a Conventional Sea Salt Farming System

Researchers conducted on-site sampling of sea salt crystals and traced microplastic contamination at multiple stages from seawater through to the final salt product. Microplastics were detected throughout the production chain, highlighting potential dietary exposure from table salt.

2024 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of various production methods on the microplastic contamination of sea salt produced in Java, Indonesia

Researchers compared microplastic contamination in sea salt produced by different methods — solar evaporation, boiling, and mechanical processing — in Java, Indonesia, finding that production method significantly affected MP levels, with open solar evaporation exposed to air contamination yielding the highest counts.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China

Researchers analyzed table salts produced in China and found microplastics contaminating samples from multiple salt types, suggesting that salt production processes and source water quality influence the extent of microplastic contamination in a common food ingredient.

2015 Environmental Science & Technology 1056 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics in edible salts from solar saltpans and commercial salts

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in sea salts from solar salt pans in Tamil Nadu, India, and several commercial salt brands. The study confirmed the presence of microplastics in all salt pan samples and two commercial salt brands, with fewer than 350 polymer fragments per sample representing multiple polymer types. These findings suggest that sea salt production is a pathway for microplastic contamination to reach human diets.

2023 Total Environment Research Themes 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The Existence, Characteristics, Sources, and Impact of Microplastics in Salt Products in Indonesia

This systematic literature review described the presence, characteristics, sources, and health impacts of microplastics in Indonesian salt products, finding consistent contamination across regions with PP, PE, and PA as dominant polymer types. The main contamination sources were polluted seawater used in salt production and unmanaged plastic waste near coastal evaporation ponds.

2025 Proceeding of International Seminar and Workshop on Public Health Action
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in commercial salt: An issue for their sampling and quantification

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in commercial sea salt from three Italian salterns and found an average of approximately 1,653 microplastic particles per kilogram of salt. The study highlights important methodological considerations for sampling and quantification, noting that the physical characteristics and polymer types of microplastics varied across sampling locations.

2022 Food Chemistry 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and Characterization of Microplastics in Commercial Salts in India

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in commercial salts available in India, including rock salt, sea salt, and table salt varieties. The study found widespread microplastic contamination across salt types, raising food safety concerns given the ubiquity of salt as a dietary staple.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Presence in Commercial Sea Salt: Sampling and Quantification Challenges

Researchers quantified microplastic presence in commercially available sea salt from multiple countries, encountering significant challenges in sampling protocols and analytical detection limits that complicated comparisons between studies. The authors propose standardized sampling and extraction methods to improve reproducibility in sea salt microplastic research.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in water, sediment and salts from traditional salt producing ponds

Researchers found microplastics in water, sediment, and sea salt collected from traditional salt evaporation ponds in Indonesia. The presence of plastic in harvested salt raises food safety concerns, as salt is a widely consumed condiment.

2019 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 31 citations
Article Tier 2

High levels of microplastics in commercial salt and industrial salterns in Sri Lanka

All commercial salt products tested in Sri Lanka were contaminated with microplastics, with concentrations ranging from 11 to 193 items/kg in commercial salts and up to 253 items/kg in lab-grade NaCl, and significant variation between three analyzed saltern sites.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Common Salt from Seawater

This book chapter examines microplastic contamination of sea salt produced from evaporation of seawater, reviewing evidence that salt from multiple countries contains MPs and discussing the human dietary exposure implications of consuming salt with plastic particle contaminants.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in salt pans and commercial salts – A baseline study on the salt pans of Marakkanam and Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, India

Microplastic contamination was documented in commercial table salts and salt pan waters from two sites in Tamil Nadu, India, with fiber types dominating samples and concentrations reflecting regional coastal and atmospheric plastic pollution inputs.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 67 citations
Article Tier 2

The presence of microplastics in commercial salts from different countries

Researchers analyzed 17 commercial salt brands from eight countries and found microplastic particles in all but one, with concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 particles per kilogram. The most common plastics were polypropylene and polyethylene, appearing mainly as fragments. While the estimated human intake from salt alone appears minimal, the study confirms that microplastics have infiltrated yet another everyday food product.

2017 Scientific Reports 623 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of microplastic in commercial salt sold in Malaysia

Researchers conducted a risk assessment of microplastics in commercial table salt sold in Malaysia, finding that contaminated seawater used during sea salt production introduces microplastics into a widely consumed daily food ingredient with potential adverse health effects.

2023 UiTM Institutional Repositories (Universiti Teknologi MARA)
Article Tier 2

Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of microplastics in different salts from Iran

Researchers analyzed microplastic concentrations in fifteen samples of crystallized, refined sea, unrefined sea, and rock salts from Iranian markets using scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy, finding microplastic contamination across all salt types with concentrations varying by processing method.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Health Engineering 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in solar salt: baseline contamination assessment from Goa, India

Scientists analyzed solar salt samples harvested from salt pans in Goa, India, and found microplastics in every sample, averaging about 84 particles per 100 grams. The most common types were polyethylene, polyester, and polypropylene fibers, and the pollution risk index indicated a high ecological hazard. Based on typical salt consumption, the researchers estimated that a person could ingest roughly 2,458 microplastic particles per year from salt alone.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination of Indian sea salts with microplastics and a potential prevention strategy

All eight brands of Indian sea salt tested were found to contain microplastics, with concentrations ranging widely across brands, and the study proposed using improved salt harvesting methods to reduce contamination. The findings add to global evidence of widespread microplastic contamination in commercially sold sea salt, with direct implications for human dietary exposure.

2018 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 175 citations
Article Tier 2

The presence and characteristics of microplastics in local salt industry production in Muna Regency in 2025

Researchers analyzed locally produced salt from Muna Regency, Indonesia, and found microplastic contamination in all 12 samples tested. The dominant polymer types were polyethylene and polypropylene in fragment and fiber forms, with contamination attributed to both marine pollution and post-production handling processes such as transportation and packaging.

2026 World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Microplastic contamination of salt intended for human consumption: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined microplastic contamination in table salt from around the world. It found that microplastics are present in most salt products intended for human consumption, with sea salt generally containing more particles than rock or lake salt, representing a consistent source of dietary microplastic exposure.

2020 SN Applied Sciences 60 citations
Article Tier 2

The presence and characteristics of microplastics in local salt industry production in Muna Regency in 2025

Researchers analyzed salt samples from local producers in Muna Regency, Indonesia, and found microplastic contamination in all 12 samples tested. The particles were primarily polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers, with concentrations ranging from 0.008 to 0.04 mg/kg. The study suggests that contamination comes from both marine pollution in the source seawater and post-production processes such as transportation and packaging.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Portuguese Saltworks

Microplastics were detected in 14 samples of Portuguese table salt — including both fleur de sel and coarse salt — from seven regional saltworks. This adds to growing evidence that sea salt is a dietary source of microplastic exposure for consumers, with contamination levels varying by production location.

2020 IntechOpen eBooks 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the presence of insoluble particles and microplastics in sea salts in Brazil

Researchers analyzed sea salts from Brazilian markets for the presence of microplastics and other insoluble particles. The detection of microplastics in commercially sold sea salt raises consumer exposure concerns, as salt is used universally in cooking and food processing.

2019 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in European sea salts – An example of exposure through consumer choice and of interstudy methodological discrepancies

Researchers analyzed 13 European sea salts and found microplastics in all of them, with industrially harvested salts containing more particles than traditionally harvested ones. They estimated that a person absorbs about 14 micrograms of microplastics annually from all salt consumption, with a quarter attributable to choosing sea salt specifically. The study also found that differences in research methods across studies make it difficult to compare microplastic levels in salt worldwide.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 37 citations