(P23-008-25) Quantifying Microplastics in Fruits and Vegetables for Community Health

Objectives: Microplastics (MPs) have become ubiquitous in the environment and consequently, humans are ingesting higher amounts of MPs over the years through food, water, and even inhalation. Exposure may cause oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, reproductive issues, carcinogenicity, inflammation, etc., although findings are still emerging. Evaluating MPs in common food items is critical to determining health risks and assessing the full extent of exposure routes. Although there are a lot of studies quantifying the presence of MPs in seafood there are few assessing MPs in other types of foods. As such, this study aimed to quantify MPs in select fruits and vegetables that are commonly consumed in the United States, across different sources.

Methods: We obtained apples, bananas, potatoes and carrots from 3 different sources (university dining halls, supermarket, and health co-op market), and extracted the MPs from each of them by drying, pulverizing, centrifuging, mixing with different solutions and filtering the samples to obtain the concentration of MPs in the filter. To analyze them, control tests were used, and MPs were quantified and classified by using a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. Calculations such as the estimated annual intake (EAI) for each fruit/vegetable were performed to conclude the annual ingestion rate of MPs per capita for each sample.

Results: Results confirm the pervasiveness of MPs in the environment, with detections obtained in all sources, although in different quantities.

Conclusions: This research will aid in assessing locations for "hotspots" for the presence of microplastics in produce. This is important because although microplastics are not yet considered a health hazard by the CDC, there are many published scientific studies emphasizing negative health implications of MPs consumption. Future research should assess the relationship between specific types of MPs and their role in nutrition, such as by disrupting the availability of nutrients in various foods.

Funding Sources: This research project was funded by Central Michigan University.