The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study
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 micropla...
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Korean Rhinologic Society
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Rhinology |
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| Online Access: | http://j-rhinology.org/upload/pdf/jr-2024-00027.pdf |
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| author | Kyung Soo Kim Hyun Jin Min |
| author_facet | Kyung Soo Kim Hyun Jin Min |
| author_sort | Kyung Soo Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b92c2daaa2d64458a19eaa023440c9c0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1229-1498 2384-4361 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Korean Rhinologic Society |
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| series | Journal of Rhinology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b92c2daaa2d64458a19eaa023440c9c02025-08-20T01:59:17ZengKorean Rhinologic SocietyJournal of Rhinology1229-14982384-43612024-11-0131315115510.18787/jr.2024.00027822The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary StudyKyung Soo Kim0Hyun Jin Min Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaBackground 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.http://j-rhinology.org/upload/pdf/jr-2024-00027.pdfnasal irrigationirrigation bottlesodium chloride powdermicroplasticsraman analysis |
| spellingShingle | Kyung Soo Kim Hyun Jin Min The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study Journal of Rhinology nasal irrigation irrigation bottle sodium chloride powder microplastics raman analysis |
| title | The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full | The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study |
| title_fullStr | The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study |
| title_short | The Use of Sodium Chloride Powder Sachets May Not Increase the Risk of Microplastic Emissions in Nasal Irrigation Fluids: A Preliminary Study |
| title_sort | use of sodium chloride powder sachets may not increase the risk of microplastic emissions in nasal irrigation fluids a preliminary study |
| topic | nasal irrigation irrigation bottle sodium chloride powder microplastics raman analysis |
| url | http://j-rhinology.org/upload/pdf/jr-2024-00027.pdf |
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