Microparticles and microplastics contamination in African table salts.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Food Safety
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microplastic pollution is a growing global concern, with documented presence in seafood.
• Data on microplastic contamination in salts from the African continent remains scarce.
• Table salt is a ubiquitous food ingredient, potentially serving as a vector for microplastic ingestion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and characteristics of microplastics in table salt brands from various African countries.
• To assess table salt as a potential source of microplastic contamination in the human food chain within Africa.
• To provide baseline data on microplastic pollution in African food products.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 23 table salt brands from 8 African countries.
• Utilized microscopic and spectroscopic techniques for microplastic identification and characterization.
• Employing a 0.3 μm filter pore size for detection.

Main Results:

• Microplastics were detected in table salts from South Africa (0-1.33 ± 0.32 particles/kg) and Nigeria, Cameroun, and Ghana (0-0.33 ± 0.38 particles/kg each).
• Identified microplastics included polyvinyl acetate, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
• No detectable microplastics were found in salts from other analyzed countries using the specified filter size.

Conclusions:

• Table salt is confirmed as a source of microplastic and micro-fiber contamination entering the human food chain in Africa.
• This research highlights the urgent need for further investigation into the human health implications of microplastic ingestion.
• The findings underscore the importance of monitoring and mitigating microplastic pollution across diverse food sources on the continent.