Biotic Components Research Articles

Conservation Value of Gunungan Wayang Kulit Purwa for Science Learning Materials

This study aims to explore the concepts of ecology and biodiversity, the value of environmental preservation in gunungan wayang kulit purwa, and its correlation to science learning or environmental education in a science subject at the junior high school level to increase environmental awareness. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach. This research included ethnographic research associated with symbolic interpretation in anthropology. The informants of this study were a puppeteer (dalang), a javanology expert, a gunungan wayang kulit purwa creator, and a biodiversity expert chosen by purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, literature reviews, and content analysis. Data triangulation was applied to ensure the data validity. The data were analyzed using a spiral analysis model, including managing, reading, marking, describing, classifying, interpreting, and visualizing data continuously. The study results show that the gunungan wayang kulit purwa contains the conservation value and concept of ecology and biodiversity. This concept has a correlation with the material on ecology and biodiversity in the independent curriculum in a science subject at schools. The ecological concept includes biotic and abiotic components, symbiosis, pollinators and predators, food chains, food webs, competition, and the value of environmental preservation. The findings in the form of a link between ecological concepts and biodiversity in the gunungan wayang kulit purwa have implications for the potential use of gunungan wayang kulit purwa as a learning resource for science education in schools or environmental education to increase environmental awareness of the young generation.

Biogeographical affinities of the biota of the Tres Marías Islands, Mexico

Abstract The Tres Marías archipelago in the central Mexican Pacific is a protected area that has a complex geological history due to its tectonic setting. This study describes an integrative analysis of the biogeographical affinities of the biota inhabiting the islands. A biotic component analysis showed a close relationship between the islands and the Pacific Lowlands and Veracruzan biogeographical provinces, whereas a cladistic biogeographical analysis additionally showed a Nearctic affinity with the Sonoran biogeographical province. The biogeographical affinity patterns, based on the distribution of the sister group of each endemic species, revealed three distinct patterns: Neotropical, Sonoran-Neotropical and Nearctic-Neotropical. The study recognized that the Tres Marías Islands are a region of great biological complexity where the biota of the Pacific Lowlands and the Veracruzan provinces intersect, with a predominantly Neotropical affinity. In this biogeographical analysis, information on the biotic assemblage and the geological history of the Tres Marías Islands are integrated and discussed. The biotic assembly of the islands must have occurred via both vicariance and dispersal at different geological times, related to opening of the Gulf of California (Miocene–Pleistocene) as well as to periods of glaciation (Pleistocene).

Ecosystem health and malfunctions: an organisational perspective

A recent idea of “ecosystem health” was introduced in the 1970s and 1980s to draws attention to the fact that ecosystems can become ill because of a reduction of properties such as primary productivity, functions and diversity of interactions among system components. Starting from the 1990s, this idea has been deeply criticized by authors who argued that, insofar as ecosystems show many differences with respect to organismic features, these two kinds of systems cannot share a typical organismic property such as health. In recent years, an organisational approach in philosophy of biology and ecology argued that both organisms and ecosystems may share a fundamental characteristic despite their differences, namely, organisational closure. Based on this kind of closure, scholars have also discussed health and malfunctional states in organisms. In this paper, we examine the possibility of expanding such an organisational approach to health and malfunctions to the ecological domain. Firstly, we will see that a malfunction is related to a lower effectiveness in the functional behaviour of some biotic components with respect to other systemic components. We will then show how some introduced species do not satisfactorily interact in an organisational closure with other ecosystem components, thus posing a threat to the self-maintenance of the ecosystem in which they are found. Accordingly, we will argue that an ecosystem can be said to be healthy when it is a vital environment organisationally grounded on its intrinsic capacity to ensure, under favourable conditions, appropriate functional behaviours for ecosystem components and ecosystem self-maintenance.

Ecosystem‐level decoupling in response to reduced precipitation frequency and degradation in steppe grassland

Abstract Grasslands across arid and semi‐arid regions are predicted to experience reductions in precipitation frequency. Besides, grassland degradation has become a serious problem in many of these areas. Despite increasing evidence suggesting compound effects of these synchronous alterations on biotic and abiotic ecosystem constituents, we still do not know how they will impact the coupling among ecosystem constituents and its consequences on ecosystem functioning. Here, we assessed the effects of decreased precipitation frequency and grassland degradation on ecosystem coupling, quantified based on the mean strength of pairwise correlations among multispecies communities and their physicochemical environment, individual functions and ecosystem multifunctionality, and reported their relationships within a mechanistic plant–nematode–micro‐organism–soil interactions framework. Decreased precipitation frequency led to poorly coupled ecosystems, and reduced aboveground plant biomass, soil water content, soil nutrient levels, soil biota abundance and multifunctionality. By contrast, belowground plant biomass and soil potential enzyme activities increased under decreased precipitation frequency treatment. Severe degradation resulted in decoupled ecosystems and suppressed most of individual functions and multifunctionality. Using structural equation modelling, we showed that coupling had a strong direct positive effect on multifunctionality (standardized total effect: 0.74), while multifunctionality was weakened by greater soil water variation (−0.54) and higher soil pH (−0.53). The great sensitivity of ecosystem coupling to altered precipitation regimes and degradation highlights the importance of considering interactions among biotic and abiotic components when predicting early ecological impacts under changing environments. Moreover, the positive relationship between ecosystem coupling and functioning suggests that restoration of degraded grasslands may be achieved by intensifying ecological interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

SUPERIMPOSITIONS. Proposals for environmental systems implementation and biodiversity development in the Lezhë region through a multi- disciplinary approach

Multiple hazards are present over the territory and their impact extends beyond the administrative boundaries, revealing the need for an integrated local - to national –regional approach with the aim of building resilience, as a response to uncertainties. Lezhë district – a region of 479 km2 located in the northwest of Albania – has a large diverse ecosystem (Gencer, 2014), its environmental and landscape features are of considerable importance and constitute intrinsic characteristics of the region itself. Therefore, disaster risks constitute an issue of prime importance. Extremely important phenomena impacting territorial safety are environmental process changes and sudden spatial transformations caused by climate change. Specifically, the region faces risks related to hazards like surface water flooding, due to extreme rainfall, sea level rise, rock falls, forest fires and also seismic-triggered events. The above-mentioned hazards combined with high levels of vulnerability are consequently followed by losses in terms of physical, economic, environmental and also impact on biodiversity. Facing such challenges, it is necessary to build a large-scale strategy to build territorial resilience through strengthening environmental systems. When dealing with complex issues where biotic and abiotic components are involved to propose a design strategy, a multi-disciplinary approach is a prerogative. This contribution is developed under the framework of the two- week workshop at POLIS University and proposes a macro-strategy that faces environmental and territorial issues, followed by specific project actions related to the implementation of blue and green assets with the objective of reducing disaster risk.

A critical review on occurrence, distribution, environmental impacts and biodegradation of microplastics

Microplastics are small plastic particles (<5mm) linked by hydrocarbon atoms. Microplastics are of two types: primary microplastics, which are inadvertently released into the ecosystem as microbeads, plastic pellets and plastic fibres and secondary microplastics, derived from primary microplastics, when macroplastics get decomposed in the presence of UV light or weathering. Sources of contamination by microplastics can be classified as Terrestrial sources and Aquatic Sources. Microplastics are widespread in diverse ecosystems and are spread in different parts of the world, like India, China, Brazil and Malaysia. Recent studies have revealed the toxic effects of microplastics on various biotic and abiotic components. Microplastics can be completely removed from the soil by microbial biodegradation, most preferably bacteria, actinobacteria and fungi. Bacteria, the recurring group of microbes, can degrade pollutants. Actinobacteria, a commonly occurring Gram-positive bacterium, degrade polymer accumulation. Followed by bacteria, fungi are a major group of microorganisms known to degrade microplastics. The current review deals with the type of plastics, their sources, distribution, environmental impacts and degradation using biological methods, preferably microbes, which would further help in understanding the microplastic-mediated adverse effects' molecular mechanism and their removal from the environment using Green Technology. Key words: Biodegradation, Microbes, Microplastics, Toxicity

Integrating forest structural diversity measurement into ecological research

AbstractThe measurement of forest structure has evolved steadily due to advances in technology, methodology, and theory. Such advances have greatly increased our capacity to describe key forest structural elements and resulted in a range of measurement approaches from traditional analog tools such as measurement tapes to highly derived and computationally intensive methods such as advanced remote sensing tools (e.g., lidar, radar). This assortment of measurement approaches results in structural metrics unique to each method, with the caveat that metrics may be biased or constrained by the measurement approach taken. While forest structural diversity (FSD) metrics foster novel research opportunities, understanding how they are measured or derived, limitations of the measurement approach taken, as well as their biological interpretation is crucial for proper application. We review the measurement of forest structure and structural diversity—an umbrella term that includes quantification of the distribution of functional and biotic components of forests. We consider how and where these approaches can be used, the role of technology in measuring structure, how measurement impacts extend beyond research, and current limitations and potential opportunities for future research.

Effects of environmental pollution on wildlife and human Health and novel mitigation strategies

Environment refers to the totality of all external factors and conditions that have an impact on a living thing's survival and growth. The effects of pollution on wildlife and human health are complex and affect many ecosystems and facets of civilization. Urbanization, industrialization, and the indiscriminate and improper use of chemicals, such as pesticides, have all accelerated environmental degradation and contamination, which has a negative impact on living things' health and created issues with residues in animal-derived foods. The impact of pollution on biotic components has been highlighted by recent developments in environmental-related toxicity in humans and animals as well as the rising frequency of chemical residue detection in food products. To solve the complex problems caused by environmental contamination, innovation and new mitigation techniques are essential. The creation and use of cutting-edge technology, such as diverse bioremediation methods, are included. In order to bring about change and promote successful mitigation methods, public participation and awareness are essential. Governments, businesses, communities, and people must work together to address the problems that environmental degradation has created. We can lessen pollution's harmful impacts on wildlife and human health, guaranteeing a healthier and more sustainable future for both the ecosystem and people, by implementing creative mitigation measures and giving sustainable practices priority.

Keanekaragaman Jenis Arthropoda Tajuk di Hutan Mangrove Ciletuh, Sukabumi, Jawa Barat

This research was conducted in the mangrove areas Ciletuh, Sukabumi managed by Pokmasi Mandrajaya. Ciletuh mangrove area is occupied by mixed mangrove tree species. Mangrove is the habitat of a wide variety of arthropods and other canopy arthropods. Arthropods are one of the biotic components that play a role in multiple levels in an ecosystem. The existence of arthropods can be an indicator of the balance of the ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to estimate the abundance and diversity of arthropods in the canopy of Ciletuh mangrove areas. The study was conducted by analyzing vegetation, canopy arthropod catching by the beating-tray method, measurements of temperature and humidity. The results showed that canopy arthropods at 6 mangrove zoning in Ciletuh mangrove forest consisting of 21 families. Family that dominate in Ciletuh mangrove forest are family Formicidae in the class of Insecta and family Salticidae in the class of Arachnida.
 Keywords: arboreal arthropods, beating-tray, Ciletuh, mangrove

Temperature is a cryptic factor shaping the geographical pattern of genetic variation in Ceratophyllum demersum across a subtropical freshwater lake

Macrophyte habitats exhibit remarkable heterogeneity, encompassing the spatial variation of abiotic and biotic components such as changes in water conditions and weather as well as anthropogenic stressors. Environmental factors are thought to be important drivers shaping the genetic and epigenetic variation of aquatic plants. However, the links among genetic diversity, epigenetic variation, and environmental variables remain largely unclear, especially for clonal aquatic plants. Here, we performed population genetic and epigenetic analyses in conjunction with habitat discrimination to elucidate the environmental factors driving intraspecies genetic and epigenetic variation in hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) in a subtropical lake. Environmental factors were highly correlated with the genetic and epigenetic variation of C. demersum, with temperature being a key driver of the genetic variation. Lower temperature was detected to be correlated with greater genetic and epigenetic variation. Genetic and epigenetic variation were positively driven by water temperature, but were negatively affected by ambient air temperature. These findings indicate that the genetic and epigenetic variation of this clonal aquatic herb is not related to the geographic feature but is instead driven by environmental conditions, and demonstrate the effects of temperature on local genetic and epigenetic variation in aquatic systems.

Drying out fish ponds, for an entire growth season, as an agroecological practice: maintaining primary producers for fish production and biodiversity conservation

Agroecology largely focusses on terrestrial agroecosystems, but it can also be applied to fish farming. Indeed, ponds are typically used for fish production in Europe, but are also important reservoirs of biodiversity. Numerous studies demonstrate that both fish production and biodiversity are strongly determined by human management. One key practice in extensive fish farming, although more rare in Europe, is to dry out ponds. They are left dry for a complete year after several years of fish production. However, the extent to which this practice affects the functioning of the ecosystem, its biodiversity and fish production remain unclear. We investigated data from 85 fish ponds in the Dombes region, France, sampled between 2007 and 2014. We related variation in key abiotic characteristics to the time since last dry out. The dataset included organic matter content in pond sediments and concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column, and biotic components such as macrophytes cover and richness, phytoplankton concentration and richness, macroinvertebrates density, and fish yield. Our results show that drying out facilitates the mineralization of organic matter in sediments and results in higher concentrations of inorganic nitrogen in the water column. Macrophytes cover is highest during the first year after drying out, and gradually declines after at the expense of increasing phytoplankton concentration. The diversity of both is highest in the first year after drying out and declines rapidly, especially for macrophytes. Fish yield is at its maximum in the second year. Drying out fish ponds appears to be an important agroecological practice in extensive fish farming with an application every three to four years. By nutrient recycling, this practice has a positive impact on the balance between primary producers and indirectly on the whole food web during two years. It optimizes fish production and allows biodiversity conservation.

In Vitro Assessment of the Inhibitory Effect of Sludge against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Smith) Synder et Hansen

Sludge production is a major challenge for wastewater treatment plants and is expected to exceed10,000 tons per day worldwide. Inadequate management of sludge can result in treatment and disposal issues, necessitating the need for effective sludge disposal strategies. Recent studies have shown that sludge may be effective in controlling soil-borne pathogens, but the underlying mechanisms and potential applications of this property in local environments remain unclear.To address this knowledge gap, this study investigated the physico-chemical properties of sludge from a sewage treatment plant and its inhibitory activity against the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Sludge samples produced at various drying rates were tested, and the percent relative inhibition zone diameter (% RIZD) was measured. Potential bacterial species with inhibitory properties were isolated from the sludge and identified, and correlational analysis was carried out. The results show that sludge extract, after two months of drying, had the highest % RIZD(78.29 ± 5.7%, p < 0.05) – which correlated positively with the total bacterial count, total nitrogen, potassium, and microbial respiration. These results indicate that the biotic components may have a positive effect on the sludge's inhibitory potential against F. oxysporum. Although sludge has been found to have the potential to inhibit fungal pathogens, further treatment is necessary to meet regulatory standards (PNS/BAFS 40:2016) and avoid environmental contamination. This study provides a baseline for future research on sludge reuse and management policies.

Sources and toxicological effects of metal and metalloids on human health through fish consumption in mineral-rich city, Ranchi, India.

Ranchi is the administrative capital of Jharkhand and is located in the southern part of the Chhotanagpur Plateau. It is rich in forest and mineral resources and hence is suitable for the establishment of many large- and small-scale industries. The estimated population of Ranchi for the year 2023 is 3.54 million. These demographic characteristics make the capital more vulnerable to environmental degradation. Also, previous water quality research focused on river, water, and oceans separately; however, little or no work has been carried out on the comparison of metal or metalloid analysis in rivers, waterfalls, and lakes. Hence, the present study aims to assess the pollution status of mineral-rich and industrial hub city, Ranchi, through analysis of metals or metalloids in abiotic (water and sediment) and biotic (fish and human) components. The water, sediment, and fish (Labeo rohita and Catla catla) samples were collected from Subarnarekha river, Jumar river, Dassam fall, Getalsud dam, Hundru fall, Jonha fall, Kanke dam, and Sita fall. Samples were collected following standard methods and analyzed in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Among three aquatic systems (rivers, dams, and falls), dams were highly polluted with metals or metalloids, which may be due to effluent discharge from different industries. Additionally, the high population in the city also contributed to metals or metalloids pollution. The reason may be the direct sewage disposal and agricultural and surface runoff in the water systems. It was observed that most of the aquatic systems in Ranchi were severely polluted with metals or metalloids. The fish also accumulated these metals or metalloids in their body and can be life-threatening to the human population consuming them. The THQ (above 1) and HI (2.95) values for As showed that children are more vulnerable to health risk through consumption of contaminated fish. Hence, proper planning and management are needed to overcome the metals or metalloids pollution in Ranchi.

Advancement of Engineered Bacteria for Orally Delivered Therapeutics.

The use of bacteria and their biotic components as therapeutics has shown great potential in the treatment of diseases. Orally delivered bacteria improve patient compliance compared with injection-administered bacteria and are considered the preferred mode. However, due to the harsh gastrointestinal environment, the viability and therapeutic efficacy of orally delivered bacteria are significantly reduced in vivo. In recent years, with the rapid development of synthetic biology and nanotechnology, bacteria and biotic components have been engineered to achieve directed genetic reprogramming for construction and precise spatiotemporal control in the gastrointestinal tract, which can improve viability and therapeutic efficiency. Herein, a state-of-the-art review on the current progress of engineered bacterial systems for oral delivery is provided. The different typesof bacterial and biotic components for oral administration are first summarized. The engineering strategies of these bacteria and biotic components and their treatment of diseases are next systematically summarized. Finally, the current challenges and prospects of these bacterial therapeutics are highlighted that will contribute to the development of next-generation orally delivered bacteriotherapy.

Resilience and Mitigation Strategies of Cyanobacteria under Ultraviolet Radiation Stress.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) tends to damage key cellular machinery. Cells may adapt by developing several defence mechanisms as a response to such damage; otherwise, their destiny is cell death. Since cyanobacteria are primary biotic components and also important biomass producers, any drastic effects caused by UVR may imbalance the entire ecosystem. Cyanobacteria are exposed to UVR in their natural habitats. This exposure can cause oxidative stress which affects cellular morphology and vital processes such as cell growth and differentiation, pigmentation, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and enzyme activity, as well as alterations in the native structure of biomolecules such as proteins and DNA. The high resilience and several mitigation strategies adopted by a cyanobacterial community in the face of UV stress are attributed to the activation of several photo/dark repair mechanisms, avoidance, scavenging, screening, antioxidant systems, and the biosynthesis of UV photoprotectants, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), scytonemin (Scy), carotenoids, and polyamines. This knowledge can be used to develop new strategies for protecting other organisms from the harmful effects of UVR. The review critically reports the latest updates on various resilience and defence mechanisms employed by cyanobacteria to withstand UV-stressed environments. In addition, recent developments in the field of the molecular biology of UV-absorbing compounds such as mycosporine-like amino acids and scytonemin and the possible role of programmed cell death, signal perception, and transduction under UVR stress are discussed.

Conservation of parasites: A primer.

Although parasites make up a substantial proportion of the biotic component of ecosystems, in terms of both biomass and number of species, they are rarely considered in conservation planning, except where they are thought to pose a threat to the conservation of their hosts. In this review, we address a number of unresolved questions concerning parasite conservation. Arguments for conserving parasite species refer to the intrinsic value conferred by their evolutionary heritage and potential, their functional role in the provision of ecosystem services, and their value as indicators of ecosystem quality. We propose that proper consideration of these arguments mean that it is not logically defensible to automatically exclude parasite species from conservation decisions; rather, endangered hosts and parasites should be considered together as a threatened ecological community. The extent to which parasites are threatened with extinction is difficult to estimate with any degree of confidence, because so many parasite species have yet to be identified and, even for those which have been formally described, we have limited information on the factors affecting their distribution and abundance. This lack of ecological information may partially explain the under-representation of parasites on threatened species lists. Effective conservation of parasites requires maintaining access to suitable hosts and the ecological conditions that permit successful transmission between hosts. When implementing recovery plans for threatened host species, this may be best achieved by attempting to restore the ecological conditions that maintain the host and its parasite fauna in dynamic equilibrium. Ecosystem-centred conservation may be a more effective strategy than species-centred (or host-parasite community-centred) approaches for preventing extinction of parasites, but the criteria which are typically used to identify protected areas do not provide information on the ecological conditions required for effective transmission. We propose a simple decision tree to aid the identification of appropriate conservation actions for threatened parasites.

Freshwater shellfish, Pila globosa: a review on its ecological and economical importance, nutritive and ethno-medicinal values

The freshwater Indian apple snail, Pila globosa (Swainson, 1822), is well adapted to the equatorial and tropical regions of the planet, where there are periods of heavy rain that are followed by dry spells. It is the most important biotic component of the ecosystem and a dominating member of its communities, making it crucial for the health of the ecosystem. It has a significant economic importance in the international trade market. The flesh of P. globosa is used in aquaculture and as a human protein supplement because of its high protein and low fat content, along with essential fatty acids. The shell of P. globosa is a good source of minerals, especially calcium. P. globosa has been employed in traditional medicinal practices to treat diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, rickets, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, calcium metabolism, bleeding piles, constipation, diarrhoea, smallpox, syphilis, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness, urticaria, night blindness, and conjunctivitis. It is also used to regulate body temperature, to speed up wound healing, to treat circulatory issues, to revive virility and vitality, to treat weakness, and for vision improvement. P. globosa has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, and immune boosting properties, and it can be a benefit to mankind. This review provides an overview of the ecological and economic importance, nutritional and ethno-medicinal values of the snail P. globosa.

High resilience of soil bacterial communities to large wildfires with an important stochastic component

Wildfires alter the structure and functioning of ecosystems through changes in their biotic and abiotic components. A deeper understanding recovery process concerning diverse communities and properties within these components can provide valuable insights into the ecological effects of wildfires. Therefore, it is appropriate to enhance our understanding of the resilience of bacterial communities after wildfires within Mediterranean ecosystems. In this research, soil bacterial community resilience was evaluated in three types of ecosystems for two fire severities, two years after a large wildfire in Mediterranean ecosystems. The resilience of the soil bacterial community refers to its ability to return to original state after disturbance. This capacity can be estimated by the study of its recovery over time. In this study we evaluated the resilience using the variables: alpha diversity, beta diversity and the changes in abundance of both OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) and principal bacterial taxa (phyla, classes or orders). Our results showed that resilience depends on fire severity and type of ecosystem. We studied three ecosystems with different stage in the secondary succession: low maturity shrublands and heathlands, and high maturity oak forests. In general, high resilience in the soil bacterial community was observed in heathlands under low and high fire severity conditions. The other two ecosystems were resilient only under low fire severity. Stochastic replacement of the abundance of the OTUs was observed in all three ecosystems, with a notable impact on oak forests, under during high-severity conditions.

Role of microbial electrosynthesis system in CO2 capture and conversion: a recent advancement toward cathode development.

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an emerging electrochemical technology currently being researched as a CO2 sequestration method to address climate change. MES can convert CO2 from pollution or waste materials into various carbon compounds with low energy requirements using electrogenic microbes as biocatalysts. However, the critical component in this technology, the cathode, still needs to perform more effectively than other conventional CO2 reduction methods because of poor selectivity, complex metabolism pathways of microbes, and high material cost. These characteristics lead to the weak interactions of microbes and cathode electrocatalytic activities. These approaches range from cathode modification using conventional engineering approaches to new fabrication methods. Aside from cathode development, the operating procedure also plays a critical function and strategy to optimize electrosynthesis production in reducing operating costs, such as hybridization and integration of MES. If this technology could be realized, it would offer a new way to utilize excess CO2 from industries and generate profitable commodities in the future to replace fossil fuel-derived products. In recent years, several potential approaches have been tested and studied to boost the capabilities of CO2-reducing bio-cathodes regarding surface morphology, current density, and biocompatibility, which would be further elaborated. This compilation aims to showcase that the achievements of MES have significantly improved and the future direction this is going with some recommendations. Highlights - MES approach in carbon sequestration using the biotic component.- The role of microbes as biocatalysts in MES and their metabolic pathways are discussed.- Methods and materials used to modify biocathode for enhancing CO2 reduction are presented.

Incidence and exposure to microplastics in table salt present in the Iran market

Plastics and microplastics (MPs) are toxic, pervasive and threatening the biotic and abiotic components of the earth, and they threaten food safety and food security by moving in the food chain. In this study, the amounts and characteristics of 40 table salt samples with different brands, including sea salt (No = 13), rock (No = 13), bulk (No = 8) and non-standard (No = 6), were investigated with a combination of sieving, filtration, observation and FTIR, Micro-Raman and SEM techniques. The results showed that all the salts were contaminated with MPs. In general, the abundance range of detected particles was 700–5470 MPs/kg. The abundance of MPs was higher in counterfeit and non-standard salts (1825 ± 1808 MPs/kg). Investigating the relationship between the effect of the purification process (Kruskal-Wallis Test, P = 0.841), the type of packaging (Kruskal-Wallis Test, P = 0.609), and the type of salt (Kruskal-Wallis Test, P = 0.942), on the abundance of MPs using a comparison test Kruskal-Wallis was not significant. However, the numerical difference was recognizable. The most identified polymer in the salts was cellulose acetate, which probably causes by unmanaged plastic litter in the environment (especially cigarette butts). The dominant form of particles was fragment-shaped, which is the most abundant form of identified MPs in the environment. Both environmental pollution and secondary pollution (during production and packaging), respectively, contribute to the contamination of salts with MPs. The estimated human dietary intake (EDI) and the amount of estimated annual intake (EAI) for different ages in Iran were obtained EDI = 5–59 MPs/capita/day and EAI = 1967–21563 MPs/capita/year. The surface morphology of the particles showed that the MPs were affected by continuous weathering, mechanical fracture and oxidation. MPs are a threat to human health due to the absorption and transmission of dangerous pollutants and their inherent toxicity. Therefore, a solution must be thought of to prevent the contamination of the food chain through salts by MPs, (with protective measures at the salt source, and by improving its production processes.