From cosmetics to Contamination: Microplastics in personal care products as vectors for chromium in aquatic environments

Microplastics presence in the environment is now a major global issue. Personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs) contain microbeads and are one of the primary sources of microplastics which contribute to health and ecological risks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of microbeads in a widely used PCCPs (facial scrubs) in the Indian market and the extent to which these microbeads can serve as vectors for toxic compounds like chromium under different environmental conditions. Four of the ten facial scrubs contained microbeads of size ranging from 220 to 600 µm. Based on FTIR analyses, two of the four tested samples (A and B) were made of polypropylene, while the other two samples (C and D) were made of polyethylene. Furthermore, the study revealed that PP microbeads, which are very common, could efficiently adsorb Cr (VI) (3.09 mg Cr/g). Adsorption of Cr (VI) on microbeads was greater in acidic and saline conditions indicating that microbeads can potentially act as vectors for toxic compounds in marine aquatic ecosystems. It was estimated that 4.7 x 10¹⁰ microbeads, which amount to 3.8 tonnes of microbeads are released into the environment annually. Based on these results, policy measures for preventing the release of microbeads/microplastics into the environment are suggested.