Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and risk assessment in salts from India And Sri Lanka

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in commonly available salts from India and Sri Lanka, including sea salt, rock salt, and refined table salt. Microplastics were detected across most salt varieties, indicating that this staple condiment is a dietary route of human microplastic exposure in South Asia.

2024 1 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

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

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.

2026 Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Salt of Tuticorin, Southeast Coast of India

Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from 14 brands of food-grade sea salts and bore-well salts from Tuticorin, India, finding contamination in both salt types with fibers and fragments as dominant forms and polyethylene as the most common polymer.

2020 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 114 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 marine sea salts: A baseline study along Tuticorin Coastal salt pan stations, Gulf of Mannar, South India

Twenty-five sea salt samples from Tuticorin coastal salt pans in India were analyzed for microplastics, with particles under 100 μm comprising 60% of contaminants and polypropylene and polyethylene as the dominant polymers. The study establishes a baseline for microplastic contamination in commercially harvested sea salt from South India.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 117 citations
Article Tier 2

“Microplastic seasoning”: A study on microplastic contamination of sea salts in Bangladesh

Researchers tested 18 brands of commercial sea salt from Bangladesh and found microplastics present in every sample, with an average of about 472 particles per kilogram. The study suggests that sea salt represents a dietary pathway for human microplastic exposure, with fibers and fragments being the most commonly detected particle types.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 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 Indonesian consumable salts

Researchers analyzed both traditionally produced and commercial branded sea salts from Indonesia and found microplastics in all samples tested. Traditionally produced salts contained the highest contamination levels, with up to 3,753 particles per kilogram, though branded salts also contained significant amounts. The study indicates that sea salt is a notable dietary source of microplastic exposure for consumers.

2024 Journal of Sea Research 8 citations
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

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution

A global analysis of commercial sea salts found microplastics in samples from 21 countries, with the highest concentrations in sea salts from Asia and the lowest in rock and lake salts. The findings suggest that sea salt can serve as an indicator of seawater microplastic pollution levels in surrounding regions.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 387 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution from sea salt: its effect on public health and prevention alternatives - a review

This review examines microplastic contamination in sea salt from countries that export to Indonesia, summarizing polymer types, contamination levels, public health effects of ingested microplastics, and potential prevention strategies to reduce human salt-borne plastic exposure.

2020 E3S Web of Conferences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastic contamination in table salts in Padang City, Indonesia, and control strategies for choosing healthy salt

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in ten brands of table salt commonly consumed in Padang, Indonesia. The study found microplastic particles in all brands tested, ranging from 30 to 510 particles per kilogram, with fragments being the most common shape, suggesting that salt products represent a meaningful source of dietary microplastic exposure.

2023 International Journal of Environmental & Analytical Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction of microplastics from commonly used sea salts in India and their toxicological evaluation

Scientists extracted and characterized microplastics from commercial sea salts sold in India, finding contamination across brands and conducting toxicological tests showing potential harm to marine organisms.

2020 Chemosphere 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in salt pans from the Maheshkhali Channel, Bangladesh

Researchers analyzed sea salt samples from eight salt pans in the Maheshkhali Channel of Bangladesh and found microplastic contamination in every sample, with concentrations ranging from 78 to 137 particles per kilogram. Fragments were the most common type, and the dominant polymers identified were terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. The findings highlight that sea salt represents a potentially significant route of human dietary exposure to microplastics.

2021 Scientific Reports 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Indian sea salts are contaminated with microplastics

A news article reported that Indian sea salts from all eight major brands tested were contaminated with microplastics, adding to a growing list of common food items found to contain plastic particles. This finding raises concerns about dietary exposure to microplastics for people who consume salt regularly.

2018 C&EN Global Enterprise 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in processed and unprocessed sea salts from a developing country and potential risk assessment

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.

2022 Chemosphere 39 citations
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

Contamination of table salts from Turkey with microplastics

Sixteen brands of table salt sold in Turkish markets — including sea, lake, and rock salts — were found to contain microplastics, with the highest concentrations in sea salt. The study adds to global evidence of microplastic contamination in commercially sold salt and indicates widespread human dietary exposure through this common food ingredient.

2018 Food Additives & Contaminants Part A 266 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 commercial sea salt of Vietnam

Microplastics were found in 100% of sea salt samples from Vietnam, with raw salt containing more than twice the contamination of refined table salt. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that table salt—a dietary staple—is a source of human microplastic ingestion worldwide.

2021 Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology/Science and Technology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Proliferation of microplastics in commercial sea salts from the world longest sea beach of Bangladesh

Researchers analyzed 13 commercial sea salt brands from Bangladesh and found an average of 2,676 microplastic particles per kilogram — among the highest levels reported globally — with polystyrene and polyethylene fragments and fibers being the most common types. Based on typical salt consumption, Bangladeshis may ingest over 13,000 microplastic particles per year through salt alone, raising public health concerns.

2022 Environmental Advances 79 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