Contamination of table salts from Turkey with microplastics

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Food Safety
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a global threat to ecosystems.
• The presence and impact of MPs in food sources are increasingly concerning.
• Table salt, a ubiquitous food additive, is a potential vector for MP ingestion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and quantity of microplastics in various types of table salt available in the Turkish market.
• To identify the common polymer types of microplastics found in table salt.
• To estimate the annual MP intake from table salt consumption by the Turkish population.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of 16 brands of table salt from the Turkish market.
• Microscopic examination for MP detection.
• Raman spectroscopy for polymer identification and quantification.
• Calculation of MP intake based on consumption data.

Main Results:

• Microplastic particle content varied by salt type: 16-84 items/kg (sea salt), 8-102 items/kg (lake salt), and 9-16 items/kg (rock salt).
• Polyethylene (22.9%) and polypropylene (19.2%) were the most prevalent plastic polymers.
• Estimated annual MP ingestion ranged from 64-78 items (rock salt) to 249-302 items (sea salt) per consumer.

Conclusions:

• Table salt in the Turkish market is a significant source of microplastic ingestion.
• The findings highlight a previously unreported concern regarding MP contamination in a common food product.
• Further research is needed to assess the health implications of MP consumption through table salt.