Current State of Microplastics Research …
49
pollution, observed in the former compared to the latter. The microplastic concentration in the seawater collected from the coast revealed the influence of microplastic
abundance on the concentration of Mps in fishes [107]. Apart from sediments and
seawater samples, as mentioned in the earlier section, [40] studied microplastic
pollution in some important organisms from Port Blair Bay. They observed high
bioaccumulation of microplastics in zooplankton and other significant carnivorous
fishes.
3.6 Salt
Microplastics were obtained from various salt brands produced in India. Seth and
Shriwastav [112] found out that samples from all the salt brands (n = 8) of investigated
sea salts were found contaminated, of which about 80% of the obtained plastics were
of the size range of 2 mm and 0.5 mm. Salt samples (n = 25) were collected from salts
pans in Tuticorin coastal region and investigated for microplastic presence Selvam
et al. [111]. About 60% of the total pollutants were of size less than 0.1 mm. A
study conducted on food-grade salts observed a higher abundance of Mps in the salts
produced from seawater compared to that from borewell water [106]. Further, they
observed the association of different environmental pollutants with Mps. An average
of about 700 particles/kg of Mps was obtained from selected Indian commercial salts
(n = 10; Sivagami et al. [114]. A higher abundance of microplastics was of size less
than 0.5 mm. they also observed the effect of Mps in the salt on humans and found
out the evidence of cell detachment on the exposure of Mps to the organs (tested on
human embryonic kidney). Table salt can be a source of microplastic ingestion by
humans, and this has to be resolved. Sand filtration of the seawater can be a method
to remove Mps and thereby to reduce the entry of Mps into the salt [112].
3.7 Dust/Atmospheric Deposition
Atmospheric deposition is a significant way of transfer of microplastics through
different parts ecosystems. In India, some researchers have investigated the amount
of microplastics in the dust samples. The road dust samples from Nagpur—both urban
and rural areas—have been examined for microplastic presence by Narmadha et al.
[83]. One of the significant sources of microplastic pollution that they have observed
in the study is the fibres released during washing and drying of laundry; cellulose
fibres were dominant in the residential area. A similar study has been reported from
Chennai; the road dust (n = 16) of this metropolitan city has been collected for
microplastic investigation [88]. In the study, they observed that the south Chennai,
a highly industrial area (265.42 ± 76.76 particles/100 g) showed comparatively
higher average microplastic abundance than the northern part, a residential location
49
pollution, observed in the former compared to the latter. The microplastic concentration in the seawater collected from the coast revealed the influence of microplastic
abundance on the concentration of Mps in fishes [107]. Apart from sediments and
seawater samples, as mentioned in the earlier section, [40] studied microplastic
pollution in some important organisms from Port Blair Bay. They observed high
bioaccumulation of microplastics in zooplankton and other significant carnivorous
fishes.
3.6 Salt
Microplastics were obtained from various salt brands produced in India. Seth and
Shriwastav [112] found out that samples from all the salt brands (n = 8) of investigated
sea salts were found contaminated, of which about 80% of the obtained plastics were
of the size range of 2 mm and 0.5 mm. Salt samples (n = 25) were collected from salts
pans in Tuticorin coastal region and investigated for microplastic presence Selvam
et al. [111]. About 60% of the total pollutants were of size less than 0.1 mm. A
study conducted on food-grade salts observed a higher abundance of Mps in the salts
produced from seawater compared to that from borewell water [106]. Further, they
observed the association of different environmental pollutants with Mps. An average
of about 700 particles/kg of Mps was obtained from selected Indian commercial salts
(n = 10; Sivagami et al. [114]. A higher abundance of microplastics was of size less
than 0.5 mm. they also observed the effect of Mps in the salt on humans and found
out the evidence of cell detachment on the exposure of Mps to the organs (tested on
human embryonic kidney). Table salt can be a source of microplastic ingestion by
humans, and this has to be resolved. Sand filtration of the seawater can be a method
to remove Mps and thereby to reduce the entry of Mps into the salt [112].
3.7 Dust/Atmospheric Deposition
Atmospheric deposition is a significant way of transfer of microplastics through
different parts ecosystems. In India, some researchers have investigated the amount
of microplastics in the dust samples. The road dust samples from Nagpur—both urban
and rural areas—have been examined for microplastic presence by Narmadha et al.
[83]. One of the significant sources of microplastic pollution that they have observed
in the study is the fibres released during washing and drying of laundry; cellulose
fibres were dominant in the residential area. A similar study has been reported from
Chennai; the road dust (n = 16) of this metropolitan city has been collected for
microplastic investigation [88]. In the study, they observed that the south Chennai,
a highly industrial area (265.42 ± 76.76 particles/100 g) showed comparatively
higher average microplastic abundance than the northern part, a residential location