According to recent research, microplastics can damage your lungs, heart and reproductive system. Find out how they affect your health.
All Indian brands of salt and sugar, big or small, packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics, according to a study released on Tuesday.
The study, titled “Microplastics in Salt and Sugar” and conducted by environmental research organisation Toxics Link, tested 10 types of salt, including table salt, rock salt, sea salt and local raw salt, and also purchased five types of sugar from both online and local markets.
Size of Microplastics in salt and sugar
The study revealed the presence of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, in various forms, including fibres, pellets, films and fragments. The size of these microplastics ranged from 0.1 mm to 5 mm.
The concentration of microplastics in the salt samples ranged from 6.71 to 89.15 pieces per kilogram of dry weight, the report said.
In the sugar samples, the concentration of microplastics ranged from 11.85 to 68.25 pieces per kilogram, with the highest concentration found in non-organic sugar.
The highest levels of microplastics were found in iodized salt, in the form of fine fibers and multi-colored films.
Iodized salt had the highest concentration of microplastics (89.15 pieces per kilogram), while organic rock salt had the lowest (6.70 pieces per kilogram), the study found.
How do microplastics affect your health?
Previous studies have shown that the average Indian consumes 10.98 grams of salt and about 10 tablespoons of sugar a day, far in excess of the World Health Organisation’s recommended limits. Microplastics are harmful to health and the environment. These tiny plastic particles can enter the human body through food, water and air.
Research has found microplastics in human organs such as the lungs, heart and even in breast milk and fetuses. Results from cell and animal experiments have shown that microplastics can affect several systems of the human body, such as the digestive, reproductive and immune systems.
Physical irritation of the gastrointestinal tract can cause inflammation, leading to various gastrointestinal symptoms. Microplastics can also cause changes in the gut microbiome and create an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria, which can lead to abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel habits.
“Worrying and requires urgent investigation,” says the link between toxic substances
Ravi Agarwal, Founder and Director of Toxics Link, said: “The aim of our study was to contribute to the existing scientific evidence base on microplastics so that the global plastics treaty can address this issue in a concrete and targeted manner.”
“We also aim to encourage political action and draw the attention of researchers to potential technological interventions that could reduce the risks of exposure to microplastics.”
Satish Sinha, associate director at Toxics Link, added: “Our study’s finding of substantial amounts of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples is concerning and requires urgent and thorough research into the long-term impacts of microplastics on human health.”
(With contributions from PTI)
