Microplastic content of over-the-counter toothpastes - a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Microplastic particles are used as ingredients in personal care products such as face washes, shower gels and toothpastes and form one of the main sources of microplastic pollution, especially in the marine environment. In addition to being a potential pollutant to the environment, the transfer of microplastics to humans can become a severe threat to public health. This systematic review was conceptualized to identify evidence for the presence of and characteristics of microplastics in toothpaste formulations. Methods: The PICOS Criteria was used for including studies for the review. Electronic databases of Scopus, Embase, Springer Link, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched, as well as hand and reference searching of the articles was carried out. The articles were screened using the software application, Covidence® and data was extracted. Results: This systematic review showed that toothpastes from China, Vietnam, Myanmar and the UAE, reported no evidence of microplastics and those from Malaysia, Turkey and India reported the presence of microplastics. The shape of the microplastics present in these toothpastes were found to be granular, irregular with opaque appearance and also in the form of fragments and fibers and the percentage weight in grams ranged from 0.2 to 7.24%. Malaysia releases 0.199 trillion microbeads annually from personal care products into the environment and toothpastes in Turkey release an average of 871 million grams of microplastics annually. Similarly, in India, it has been reported that 1.4 billion grams of microplastic particles are emitted annually from toothpaste. Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review provide evidence that toothpastes, at least in some parts of the world, do contain microplastics and that there is a great risk of increase in the addition of microplastics to the environment by the use of toothpaste.

Enhancing Biogas Production Amidst Microplastic Contamination in Wastewater Treatment Systems: A Strategic Review

“…Additionally, the physical and chemical properties of the MPs themselves, such as density and degradation rate, may influence their prevalence and concentration in wastewater streams [23]. Consumer items, such as toothpaste, face cleansers, and cosmetics, sign contribute to microbeads in wastewater [42,43]. Similarly, synthetic textiles microfibers when washed, which is a noteworthy contribution considering the wo dependence on synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon [44].…”

“…The prevalence of these particles near industrial accentuates the pressing need for enhanced containment and treatment technique the industrial sector. Consumer items, such as toothpaste, face cleansers, and cosmetics, significantly contribute to microbeads in wastewater [42,43]. Similarly, synthetic textiles release microfibers when washed, which is a noteworthy contribution considering the worldwide dependence on synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon [44].…”