The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Microplastics, which originate from the breakdown of larger plastic fragments or are intentionally produced for industrial applications, pose significant human and ecological risks through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. Our study examined the release of microplastics during the preparation of homemade saline solutions, specifically when tearing open powder packets and mixing the powder with water.

Methods: We used commercially available polypropylene nasal irrigation bottles from the Korean market and collected six samples of nasal irrigation fluids. The samples were categorized into two groups: the control group comprised three samples, without sodium chloride powder, while the powder-added group consisted of three experimental samples, where a sachet of sodium chloride powder was mixed into the water to achieve a 0.9% sodium chloride concentration. The preparation involved cooling boiled water before mixing in the powder sachet. A Raman XploRA Plus confocal microscope was used for the detection and analysis of microplastics.

Results: We observed 17, 56, and 26 microplastic particles in the control group samples, with a mean of 33.00±20.42, and 7, 6, and 34 microplastic particles in the powder-added group, with a mean of 15.66±15.88. There was no significant difference in microplastic content between the groups. Analysis revealed that the control samples contained 66 fragments (67%) and 33 fibers (33%), while the powder-added samples contained 45 fragments (96%) and two fibers (4%). We identified three types of polymers: polypropylene (control: 96, powder-added: 41), polyethylene (control: 2, powder-added: 3), and polyethylene terephthalate (control: 1, powder-added: 3).

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that adding sodium chloride powder to nasal irrigation fluids does not significantly alter microplastic release, highlighting the importance of considering potential microplastic pollution from common medical devices.