Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Compositions of Abrasive Cosmetics from Polish Manufacturers

Researchers analyzed the compositions of abrasive cosmetics sold by Polish manufacturers to determine how many still contain plastic microbeads despite growing regulatory pressure to ban them, finding that manufacturers are increasingly switching to natural alternatives. This work documents the transition away from intentionally added microplastics in personal care products, which are a direct and preventable route of microplastic release into wastewater.

2023 Cosmetics 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The Raman spectroscopy and SEM/EDS investigation of the primary sources of microplastics from cosmetics available in Poland

Raman spectroscopy and SEM/EDS analysis of cosmetics sold in Poland from 2015 to 2021 identified polyethylene and polypropylene microbeads as dominant primary microplastic types in scrubs and exfoliants. The study tracked the partial reduction in microplastic-containing products following regulatory restrictions on synthetic microbeads in personal care products.

2022 Chemosphere 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Worldwide actions against plastic pollution from microbeads and microplastics in cosmetics focusing on European policies. Has the issue been handled effectively?

This review examines global policy actions targeting microbeads and microplastics in cosmetics, with a focus on European regulations. Researchers found that while several countries have implemented bans on microbeads in rinse-off products, enforcement and scope vary widely, and many policies still contain significant loopholes. The study suggests that current regulatory approaches have been only partially effective and calls for more comprehensive, harmonized measures.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 266 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Discover Applied Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Applied Water Science 13 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Incidence of microplastics in personal care products: An appreciable part of plastic pollution

A review of 88 studies found that personal care products like exfoliating scrubs release about 1,500 tons of microplastics per year into global waterways through wastewater systems, representing up to 0.8% of all microplastics entering the oceans annually. Polyethylene is the dominant polymer and will persist in the environment long after microbeads are banned.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 273 citations
Article Tier 2

Personal Care and Cosmetic Products as a Potential Source of Environmental Contamination by Microplastics in a Densely Populated Asian City

Researchers surveyed personal care and cosmetic products sold in a densely populated Asian city for microbeads and other microplastic ingredients, documenting the extent of microbead-containing products still on the market and estimating their potential contribution to municipal wastewater microplastic loads.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 186 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Figshare 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2017 CLEAN - Soil Air Water 58 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 International Journal of Environmental Health Research 66 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 216 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbead 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.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Discover Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microbeads in cosmetic products in the United Arab Emirates

Researchers analyzed 37 facial and body scrubs sold in the United Arab Emirates and found that only 11 contained microplastic particles, while the remainder used natural alternatives such as microcrystalline cellulose and crushed walnut shells.

2019 Environmental Pollution 107 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 369 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in cosmetic products collected from Myanmar

Microplastic beads made of polyethylene were found in eight facial scrub products sold in Myanmar. These cosmetic microplastics enter waterways during washing and can be ingested by marine organisms, potentially entering the human food chain through seafood.

2020 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Pollution 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Beyond microbeads: Examining the role of cosmetics in microplastic pollution and spotlighting unanswered questions

This review highlights a major gap in microplastic research: while rinse-off cosmetics like face scrubs have gotten most of the attention, leave-on products like moisturizers and makeup actually contain more microplastic ingredients and are purchased in greater volumes. Since leave-on products sit on the skin for extended periods, they may pose underappreciated risks for both dermal microplastic exposure and environmental contamination.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 67 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 257 citations
Article Tier 2

Wastewater treatment plant effluents as source of cosmetic polyethylene microbeads to freshwater

Using Ljubljana, Slovenia as a case study, researchers estimated how many polyethylene microbeads from cosmetics pass through a wastewater treatment plant and enter surface waters. The study found that even plants with high removal efficiency still release substantial numbers of microbeads, supporting the case for banning them from personal care products.

2017 Chemosphere 306 citations