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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Incidence of microplastics in personal care products: An appreciable part of plastic pollution
ClearMicrobead nuisance: Estimation of microplastic release into water bodies through personal care and cosmetic products
Researchers found that plastic microbeads in facial scrubs sold in India — made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or cellophane — contribute an estimated 4.7 × 10¹⁰ microbeads (roughly 3.8 tonnes) to the environment annually through largely untreated sewage systems.
Are There Nanoplastics in Your Personal Care Products?
Researchers examined commercial facial scrubs containing polyethylene microbeads and unexpectedly found nanoplastic particles as small as 24 nanometers within the products. These nanoplastics appear to be byproducts of the mechanical processing used to manufacture the microbeads. The discovery highlights that personal care products may be releasing potentially more hazardous nanoscale plastic particles into waterways, in addition to the already recognized microbead pollution.
Assessment of microplastic release from facial and body scrubs in aquatic ecosystems
Researchers analyzed six popular face and body scrub products and found an average of nearly 300 microplastic particles per gram, predominantly made of polyethylene in irregular shapes, estimating that significant quantities of these particles are released into waterways through wastewater treatment systems with each use.
Microplastics in cosmetics and their impact on human health
Researchers reviewed 14 studies on microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products, finding polyethylene is the most common microplastic in facial scrubs, body washes, and toothpaste, with exposure occurring mainly through skin contact and ingestion. Despite growing awareness, major gaps remain in understanding the long-term health effects and environmental persistence of these cosmetic microplastics.
Physical-chemical characterization of microplastics present in some exfoliating products from Spain
Researchers physically and chemically characterised microplastics from ten personal care exfoliating products marketed in Spain, finding polyethylene microspheres in concentrations between 6-7% of total product weight in some cases. Smaller particles generally appeared at higher concentrations, highlighting these products as a direct source of microplastic pollution entering waterways.
Exploration of microplastics from personal care and cosmetic products and its estimated emissions to marine environment: An evidence from Malaysia
Microplastics including microbeads were quantified in personal care and cosmetic products sold in Malaysia, with scrubs and toothpastes as the top contributors, and estimated emissions to marine environments were calculated. The findings support the case for regulations banning plastic microbeads in cosmetics as a pollution prevention measure.
Microplastics (MPs) in Cosmetics: A Review on Their Presence in Personal-Care, Cosmetic, and Cleaning Products (PCCPs) and Sustainable Alternatives from Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers
This review documents how microplastics are widely used in personal care products, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies as exfoliants, film formers, and texture enhancers. These products wash down the drain and contribute to environmental microplastic pollution, which can ultimately cycle back to humans through contaminated water and food.
Microbeads in exfoliating products: occurrence, abundance, and potential for water contamination in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Researchers analyzed popular facial and body scrub products sold in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, finding that each gram of product contained 236–942 plastic microbeads ranging in size from 66 to 1,012 micrometers. They estimated that these products release approximately 1.3 billion microbeads annually into local waterways, highlighting personal care products as a significant microplastic source in Southeast Asia.
Microplastics in cosmetics: Environmental issues and needs for global bans
This review examined the environmental impact of microbeads in personal care and cosmetic products, noting that products can contain up to 50,391 microbeads per gram and contribute 229,000 microbeads per use to domestic sewage, with many countries now implementing or planning bans. The authors argue that voluntary industry commitments are insufficient and that global bans are needed to prevent further environmental contamination.
Microplastics in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
This review examines the presence of microplastics, commonly known as microbeads, in cosmetics and personal care products and their pathway into aquatic environments through wastewater discharge. Researchers assessed how these tiny particles interact with marine species and other pollutants once they enter water bodies. The study underscores that despite the existence of wastewater treatment plants, microbeads from personal care products remain a persistent source of aquatic plastic pollution.
Microbeads in Commercial Facial Cleansers: Threatening the Environment
Researchers extracted and analyzed microbeads from four commercial facial cleansers, finding concentrations high enough to raise concerns about environmental release through wastewater. The study adds to the evidence that personal care products are a significant and preventable source of primary microplastics entering aquatic ecosystems.
Reducing microplastics from facial exfoliating cleansers in wastewater through treatment versus consumer product decisions
Researchers characterized the microbeads found in commercial facial exfoliating cleansers — measuring size, polymer type, and quantity — and estimated how many microbeads escape treatment at wastewater plants based on published removal data. The study provides a practical case for banning microbeads from personal care products to reduce plastic loading in freshwater systems.
Microplastics: Applications in the Cosmetic Industry and Impacts on the Aquatic Environment
This review examines how microplastics are used in cosmetics as microbeads in products like exfoliating cleansers, and how these particles enter waterways through drain disposal and harm aquatic life. The authors summarize the main problems caused by cosmetic microplastics and discuss regulatory efforts to phase them out.
An Eco-friendly Alternative to Polyethylene Microbeads in Personal Healthcare Products
This paper proposes eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives to polyethylene microbeads used as exfoliants in personal care products like shower gels. Replacing synthetic plastic microbeads with natural materials would reduce a direct source of microplastic pollution entering waterways through drain runoff.
Plastic microbeads: small yet mighty concerning
This review discusses the environmental concerns surrounding plastic microbeads - the tiny plastic particles used in cosmetic scrubs and personal care products - tracing their sources, distribution in aquatic environments, and potential ecological effects. The study supports regulatory bans on microbeads given their persistence, wide distribution, and ingestion by aquatic organisms.
Clean, but not green: Emission assessment, forecast modelling and policy solutions for plastic microbeads from personal care products in India
Researchers analyzed 45 personal care products sold in India and found that plastic microbeads were present in face washes, scrubs, shower gels, and body scrubs. They estimated current and future microbead emissions based on product usage patterns and population growth, projecting a significant increase in microplastic pollution from these sources. The study calls for regulatory action to ban intentionally added microbeads in personal care products in India.
Composition of scrub-type cosmetics from the perspective of product ecology and microplastic content
An analysis of 130 scrub cosmetics sold in Poland found that the majority still contained polyethylene microbeads, despite growing awareness of their environmental harm. The findings highlight a gap between regulatory intent and marketplace reality, with many products continuing to release plastic particles into wastewater.
Synthetic polymers in personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) as a source of microplastic (MP) pollution
A market survey and consumer questionnaire study in Sri Lanka identified toothpaste as the personal care product with the highest content of synthetic polymer microplastics, and found that consumer awareness of MPs in cosmetics was low. The authors estimated substantial theoretical emissions of primary MPs from personal care products into the environment based on per-product polymer content.
Current research trends on cosmetic microplastic pollution and its impacts on the ecosystem: A review
This review examines the presence of microplastics in personal care, cosmetics, and cleaning products and their environmental impact. Researchers assessed the fate, degradation mechanisms, and routes through which cosmetic microplastics enter the environment. The study also discusses emerging technologies for removing cosmetic microplastics and highlights the need for sustainable alternatives to reduce this domestic source of pollution.
Microbeads in personal care products sold in Pakistan: extraction, quantification, characterization, and buoyancy analysis
Analysis of twelve personal care products sold in Pakistan — including face washes and scrubs — found plastic microbeads in all of them, ranging from ethylene-vinyl acetate to polyethylene and PET, with most particles sinking in water and therefore likely to settle in aquatic sediments after rinsing. This study underscores the need for stronger regulation of microbead-containing cosmetics in markets where bans have not yet been introduced.
Trends of microplastic abundance in personal care products in the United Arab Emirates over the period of 3 years (2018–2020)
Analysis of 163 personal care products sampled from UAE markets in 2019-2020 found a modest decline in microplastic-containing products compared to a 2018 baseline, suggesting that regulatory pressure and voluntary industry reformulations have begun reducing microbead use. Polyethylene remained the dominant microbead polymer, though several new synthetic polymers appeared in newer formulations.
Extraction, identification, and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in commercial toothpaste
Microplastics were extracted from ten commercial toothpaste brands sold in India and characterized by size and polymer type, with polyethylene being the most common material found. The study identifies toothpaste as a source of microplastic exposure through oral ingestion and wastewater discharge, adding to evidence on personal care products as plastic pollution sources.
Microplastics and Cosmetics: A Historical Overview
This historical review traces how personal care products shifted from natural abrasives to synthetic plastic microbeads from the 1980s onward, and how mounting environmental concerns eventually triggered regulatory bans in multiple countries. The history is directly relevant to understanding a major deliberate source of microplastic pollution and to evaluating whether current substitutes are genuinely safer alternatives.
Presence of microplastic in personal care and cosmetic products from markets in Punjab, Pakistan
Researchers assessed microplastic content in 103 personal care and cosmetic products (body scrubs and face washes) randomly sampled from markets in Punjab, Pakistan. They found that 45.6% of products contained plastic microbeads, with polyethylene microbeads present in 42.7% of products, and a higher prevalence in imported products compared to locally manufactured ones.