Environ Sci Technol November 2018 PMID 30285421

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution.

Ji-Su Kim, Hee-Jee Lee, Seung-Kyu Kim, Hyun-Jung Kim

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Mentions

234
Peak: 13 in Nov 2020
across 7 sources since Oct 2018

Extended reach

624,180
potential audience

Total likes

3,118

Video views

81,726

Mentions per month

Oct 2018 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

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  • Facebook10 posts
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  • Bluesky2 posts
  • Reddit2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Across the discussions, users express strong support for the importance of the study, citing specific figures like the 90% prevalence rate, and express concern over the health risks associated with microplastics in common food items, which highlights both interest and perceived impact. Words like 'strikingly different' and phrases such as 'good indicator of pollution' illustrate a tone of concern and validation of the study’s significance.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions agree that microplastics are prevalent in sea salts and see the study as validating concerns about plastic pollution, evidenced by supportive remarks about the findings and recognition of sea salt as an environmental indicator.

InterestHigh interest

The posts display high interest, with users questioning the health implications, potential filtering methods, and the sources of microplastics, indicating engagement with both the scientific findings and practical concerns.

EngagementHigh engagement

Many comments reference specific data, such as the 90% microplastic presence in salts and regional differences, demonstrating deep engagement and active discussions on the methodology and implications.

ImpactHigh impact

Repeatedly, users emphasize the significant health and environmental risks, and some suggest changing consumer habits, showing that discussions are driven by an understanding of the research’s broader societal implications.

Abstract in brief

  • Previous studies detected microplastics (MPs) in table salts but couldn't pinpoint their origin due to limitations; this study hypothesizes that sea salts reflect environmental MP pollution unless filtered out during production.
  • A total of 39 salt brands from various locations, including 28 sea salts from 16 countries, were examined, revealing MP concentrations ranging from 0 to 1,674 MPs per kg, with Asian sea salts having notably higher levels.
  • The findings show a significant correlation between unrefined sea salt MP content and both global plastic emissions and surrounding seawater MP pollution, suggesting Asia's role as a key area for plastic pollution and indicating that sea salt can effectively signal local MP levels.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Tony Fadell
@tfadell · X

You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there’s no effective way to filter it out during evaporation. Buy rock salt. https://t.co/J9DdD93egR Thanks @PlasticsJenni

Nov 17, 2020 · 77 likes · 13 shares · 203,456 followers View post →
tune
@keisuke4713 · X

隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 https://t.co/46GcMAS2ma世界中の食卓塩ブランド最大90%にマイクロプラスチック https://t.co/YqQOzpjSvb

Mar 7, 2022 · 24 likes · 9 shares · 3,744 followers View post →
木蓮
@sacred__gem802 · X

紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワクに金属入ってなかったっけ? https://t.co/LD6L47oMyN https://t.co/rXZJHS9faQ https://t.co/WJeNqijqVn

Mar 31, 2022 · 9 likes · 7 shares · 549 followers View post →
kokeshu
@dhBGGFoCRYyPo4u · X

https://t.co/9INkubuc0l

Apr 3, 2023 · 6 likes · 20,304 followers View post →
dgaf
@ojmilkwizard · X

@FoodFirst_Ty @KenDBerryMD Microplastics found in 90 percent of table salts. Study:https://t.co/x8NOq89rQb

Jan 20, 2020 · 4 likes · 1 share · 1,501 followers View post →
ResilientDad | Optimal Health By Nature
@ResilientDad · X

For those that want to see the whole study, use Sci-Hub for this: https://t.co/b4dBvNrHe5

Nov 4, 2021 · 3 likes · 13,316 followers View post →

All mentions

Studier of Physics
@analyticabyss · X

@ChefGruel Oh yeah table salt certainly has no microplastics. You lost the argument here man just back down. https://t.co/VdykarwYE3 https://t.co/2XlYRTp8n4

Aug 10, 2025 · 159 followers View post →
StillerNP
@LogosFNP · X

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution | Environmental Science & Technology https://t.co/rOaPoKxHVZ

Jun 11, 2025 · 1 like · 33 followers View post →
タレイラン
@hongkonpapa · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Mar 24, 2025 · 9 shares · 198 followers View post →
Sol Dept.
@sol_dept · X

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution | Environmental Science & Technology https://t.co/QXHpYFY8RV https://t.co/jK8wIaEI7y

Feb 26, 2025 · 3 likes · 1,795 followers View post →
José (Andaluz) ❤️
@JosAndaluz7 · X

Feb 8, 2025 · 189 followers View post →
トロイメライ
@yaikolove0211 · X

RT @sacred__gem802: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワク…

Jun 4, 2024 · 7 shares · 890 followers View post →
mimiko
@gashi115 · X

RT @sacred__gem802: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワク…

Jun 3, 2024 · 7 shares · 93 followers View post →
organic bus
@pontneuf05 · X

RT @sacred__gem802: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワク…

Jun 3, 2024 · 7 shares · 24,708 followers View post →
Vera Salt
@VeraSaltCo · X

In this study, 36 out of 39 salt brands sampled worldwide had microplastics in them. Applied to a larger scale, it is possible to assume that up to 90% of sea salt contains microplastics. https://t.co/phxnglscSR

Aug 25, 2023 · 3 likes · 5,516 followers View post →
Javi Ciborro
@papayaykware · X

https://t.co/jGHm0jUt19 Patrón global de microplásticos (MP) en sales comerciales de uso alimentario: La sal marina como indicador de la contaminación por MP en el agua de mar

Aug 22, 2023 · 8,033 followers View post →
kokeshu
@dhBGGFoCRYyPo4u · X

https://t.co/9INkubuc0l

Apr 3, 2023 · 6 likes · 20,304 followers View post →
ririko
@ririko01315022 · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Mar 17, 2023 · 9 shares · 355 followers View post →
Ekker.
@Ekker21 · X

@ZackStrength What do you think of the potential for plastics in sea salt? Do you take precaution to make sure it’s not sourced from East Asia or do you just not care? https://t.co/TD1UFkAitS

Dec 19, 2022 · 130 followers View post →
ワクチンマウス
@vaccinemouse · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Jul 14, 2022 · 9 shares · 395 followers View post →
※sui※ 改憲断固反対/ 護憲派と繋がりたい
@freeedom333 · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Jun 30, 2022 · 9 shares · 581 followers View post →
J
@_JSLEE · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Apr 25, 2022 · 9 shares · 691 followers View post →
youwin
@youwin44691406 · X

RT @Ta7Ma22: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワクに金属入ってな…

Mar 31, 2022 · 7 shares · 435 followers View post →
DAI
@lucifer_567 · X

RT @Ta7Ma22: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワクに金属入ってな…

Mar 31, 2022 · 7 shares · 1,603 followers View post →
くま太郎
@rikurikuchan2 · X

RT @Ta7Ma22: 紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワクに金属入ってな…

Mar 31, 2022 · 7 shares · 178 followers View post →
木蓮
@sacred__gem802 · X

紙コップでコーヒーを一杯飲むと2万5000個のマイクロプラスチックを摂取する 不織布マスクもマイクロプラスチック 化繊の洋服かなぁ マイクロプラスチックは クロム・ カドミウムなどの有害な重金属を運ぶ媒体として機能する あれ?ワクに金属入ってなかったっけ? https://t.co/LD6L47oMyN https://t.co/rXZJHS9faQ https://t.co/WJeNqijqVn

Mar 31, 2022 · 9 likes · 7 shares · 549 followers View post →
Zaid K. Dahhaj
@zaidkdahhaj · X

@cnsrd2_ma Should be good since it only comes from salt mines in Pakistan. Just went over the study that everybody talks about in relation to microplastics. Based on that, avoiding Asian sources of salt is ideal (except Himalayan) https://t.co/jdHUlTkLYZ

Mar 16, 2022 · 49,171 followers View post →
たら
@pituitarypars · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Mar 9, 2022 · 9 shares · 133 followers View post →
浅川の遊歩道
@lemalover · X

RT @keisuke4713: 隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 htt…

Mar 8, 2022 · 9 shares · 265 followers View post →
tune
@keisuke4713 · X

隠しプラスチックhttps://t.co/YnF9aqioS1 使い捨てコーヒーカップ:ポリエチレンで裏打ち 衣類 ティーバッグ チューインガム ホイル包装 紙・段ボールの飲食物包装 キラキラ 煙草吸い殻 お尻ふき使い捨てナプキン 海塩 https://t.co/46GcMAS2ma世界中の食卓塩ブランド最大90%にマイクロプラスチック https://t.co/YqQOzpjSvb

Mar 7, 2022 · 24 likes · 9 shares · 3,744 followers View post →
ResilientDad | Optimal Health By Nature
@ResilientDad · X

For those that want to see the whole study, use Sci-Hub for this: https://t.co/b4dBvNrHe5

Nov 4, 2021 · 3 likes · 13,316 followers View post →
Plastics impact campaign
@Plasticsimpact · X

RT @greenswrm: Would you like a little plastic with your sea salt? #plasticpollution #PlasticFreeJuly #plastic https://t.co/rtwdczUArB

Jul 16, 2021 · 2 shares · 10,644 followers View post →
swrm
@greenswrm · X

Would you like a little plastic with your sea salt? #plasticpollution #PlasticFreeJuly #plastic https://t.co/rtwdczUArB

Jul 14, 2021 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 3,013 followers View post →
Tony D'Assisi
@TonyDAssisi · X

When I use my seasalt I wonder, how many people are still using regular table salt? Table salt contains plastic..... https://t.co/rfDAmUgGxy https://t.co/0EF7iJlHVl

May 18, 2021 · 125 followers View post →
Amar Prabhu
@prabhualways · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Jan 3, 2021 · 13 shares · 972 followers View post →
Glynn Pegler FMA
@glynnpegler · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Jan 3, 2021 · 13 shares · 1,903 followers View post →
Daniel Guaricci
@thehelpingtweet · X

Oh boy! https://t.co/vSSSJMcfS6

Jan 1, 2021 · 70 followers View post →
Sam Betesh
@sambetesh · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Jan 1, 2021 · 13 shares · 124,019 followers View post →
fikri
@husain_fikri · X

@enoezed @VICE_ID https://t.co/ImpFKd0IWJ

Nov 29, 2020 · 51 followers View post →
fikri
@husain_fikri · X

@CreativeJunk_ @VICE_ID https://t.co/ImpFKd0IWJ

Nov 29, 2020 · 1 like · 51 followers View post →
Andro Lindsay
@AndroLindsay · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 18, 2020 · 13 shares · 1,501 followers View post →
The Daily Brew
@dailybrewblog · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 191 followers View post →
Mohanraj KR
@mohan_win · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 122 followers View post →
Driekus Vierkant
@driekusvierkant · X

Weer geen woord over asbest in hagelslag https://t.co/C2jZE8iWgt

Nov 17, 2020 · 5,092 followers View post →
Leon Tan
@TheLegacyYears · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 233 followers View post →
Anuj Vatsa
@anujv11 · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 125 followers View post →
Dr. Jenni Brandon
@PlasticsJenni · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 887 followers View post →
大澤遼 / Camino de Tokio
@y_yt · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 3,223 followers View post →
Hiroshi Matsui(松井博)@Brighture CEO
@Matsuhiro · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 25,274 followers View post →
Erik Erikson
@erikpack · X

RT @tfadell: You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there…

Nov 17, 2020 · 13 shares · 102 followers View post →
Tony Fadell
@tfadell · X

You know that expensive gourmet sea salt you buy? It contains microplastics! The plastic stays behind with the salt as there’s no effective way to filter it out during evaporation. Buy rock salt. https://t.co/J9DdD93egR Thanks @PlasticsJenni

Nov 17, 2020 · 77 likes · 13 shares · 203,456 followers View post →
もろてん。
@ponzu_moloten · X

こういうリサーチ、島国豪州なのにあまり入ってるのを見たことない悲しさ。涙 Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution https://t.co/bFDrfnmnp3

Oct 21, 2020 · 780 followers View post →
RRR Cycle
@RRRcycle · X

@JustineAmmendo1 @steffi_nolte Kim, J.S., Lee, H.J., Kim, S.K., Kim, H.J., (2018). Global pattern of microplastics in commercial grade salts: sea salt as an indicator of seawater microplastic pollution, Environ. Sci. Technol. 52: 12819−12828. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04180

Oct 15, 2020 · 1 like · 7 followers View post →
karen redding
@karendhr · X

RT @carnivorz: @FoodFirst_Ty @KenDBerryMD Microplastics found in 90 percent of table salts. Study:https://t.co/x8NOq89rQb

Jan 21, 2020 · 1 share · 50 followers View post →
Microplastic News
@microplastics_ · X

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution https://t.co/5LZaUQlGGb #microplastics

Jan 21, 2020 · 1 like · 1,281 followers View post →
dgaf
@ojmilkwizard · X

@FoodFirst_Ty @KenDBerryMD Microplastics found in 90 percent of table salts. Study:https://t.co/x8NOq89rQb

Jan 20, 2020 · 4 likes · 1 share · 1,501 followers View post →
Roger Williams
@RoogerWilliams · X

RT @jens2go: "Global Pattern of #Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of #Seawater MP #Pollution"…

Dec 5, 2019 · 1 share · 577 followers View post →
Jens Notroff
@jensnotroff.com · Bluesky

"Global Pattern of #Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of #Seawater MP #Pollution" J.-S. Kim et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 2018, 52, 21: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b04180

Dec 5, 2019 · 1 share View post →
Jens Notroff
@jens2go · X

"Global Pattern of #Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of #Seawater MP #Pollution" J.-S. Kim et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 2018, 52, 21: https://t.co/sjUYlAoLbD https://t.co/0CyK5dsDgC

Dec 5, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 18,820 followers View post →
Jason C
@Jason_Cipriani · X

@NileRed2 Hey; I think it would be interesting to extract and identify impurities in table salt, esp to see if there is enough plastic impurities to affect home chemist experiments: https://t.co/x5X7CgtD44

Dec 4, 2019 · 62 followers View post →
Pino Quintaliani
@Pqr9ap · X

Global Pattern of Microplastics (MPs) in Commercial Food-Grade Salts: Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater MP Pollution | Environmental Science & Technology https://t.co/VeajZCYIMk

Oct 27, 2019 · 328 followers View post →
World Carrot Museum
@carrotmuseum · X

@MsMarmitelover According to a recent study, most brands of sea salt contain tiny plastic particles that come from larger plastic debris, which pollute the water that sea salt is derived from. Does not sound too healthy! study here - https://t.co/6E0Hb7LSYg

Jul 19, 2019 · 1 like · 1,635 followers View post →
Simplesmente, Ingrid (ou Kahrir)
@Ingoorda · X

@Jo2ukeGappy Deixar aqui alguns links falando sobre isso: https://t.co/oTGCE3EPed - esse é na Ásia https://t.co/q6c6BLsttK - acho que é Ásia também mas é o artigo em si https://t.co/tprYgDkJXU - espírito santo https://t.co/LfR2pouDLi - Não sei da onde é mas é microplastico em mel

Apr 28, 2019 · 179 followers View post →
John Paul Catanzaro
@catanzarogroup · X

“The present study demonstrates that the number of microplastics in salt is strikingly different among different brands of salts and is especially high in those consumed [and produced] in Asian countries." https://t.co/JQna0t8RfR

Apr 4, 2019 · 749 followers View post →
yoshi ito
@yoxito · X

テーブルソルトに含まれるマイクロプラスチックの量が多いのはアジア。 https://t.co/hRjyz6WuhV @Bilingual_News

Mar 22, 2019 · 1,100 followers View post →
Dania
@Dania_Armstrong · X

RT @serge_morand: Microplastics and sea salt: Kim et coll show that sea salt is a good indicator of the magnitude of microplastic pollution…

Mar 18, 2019 · 6 shares · 257 followers View post →
Rebecca Altman, PhD
@rebecca-altman.bsky.social · Bluesky

Sea Salt as an Indicator of Seawater #Microplastic Pollution h/t @worldisnew #plastic #plasticpollution https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b04180#.W7tY6z8AXVR.twitter

Oct 8, 2018 View post →