We are pleased to announce the publication of our comprehensive study on microplastic contamination in Indian rice in the Journal of Hazardous Materials (Impact Factor: 12.2), one of the top environmental chemistry journals globally.

Key Findings

Our research team, led by PhD student Pinal S. Bhavsar in collaboration with Prof. Yasuhito Shimada (Mie University, Japan), conducted the first systematic investigation of microplastic presence in commercially available rice across India. The study revealed:

• Significant contamination levels across all tested rice samples from southern Gujarat
• Microplastics of various polymer types including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS)
• Fibers and fragments were the most prevalent morphological types
• Size ranges predominantly between 100 μm to 1000 μm

Health Risk Assessment

Using established risk indices, we assessed the potential human health risks from chronic exposure to microplastic-contaminated rice consumption. Our analysis indicates that while current levels may not pose immediate acute health risks, the cumulative effect of long-term exposure warrants serious attention from regulatory bodies.

Implications

This study has significant implications for food safety policies in India and globally. Rice being a staple food for billions of people, understanding microplastic contamination pathways — from agricultural practices to packaging and processing — is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies.

Collaboration

This work was conducted in collaboration with Mie University (Japan), underlining the importance of international research partnerships in addressing global environmental challenges. We thank DST-SERB and UKA Tarsadia University for their support.

Reference: Bhavsar, P.S., Solanki, M., Shimada, Y., Kamble, S.B., Patole, S.P., Kolekar, G.B., Gore, A.H.* J. Hazard. Mater. 480 (2024) 136208.