Preliminary Study on Microplastic Contamination in Hydroponic Salad Vegetables Sold in Supermarkets
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Abstract
This study conducted a preliminary investigation of microplastic (MP) contamination in hydroponically grown salad vegetables sold in supermarkets. Three types of vegetables including green oak, red oak, and cos were examined. A total of 18 vegetable samples were collected from 2 supermarkets in Ubon Ratchathani province. Organic matter was digested using a Fenton reaction (H2O2/FeSO4). The abundance and morphology of microplastics including size, shape, and color were analyzed using a stereomicroscope. Polymer types were also analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results revealed that green oak had the highest average MP abundance at 2.67 ± 1.03 pieces per gram, followed by red oak and cos lettuce which had the same average MP abundance at 1.00 ± 0.63 pieces per gram. The predominant MP size classes were small (< 0.1 mm) and medium (0.1-1.0mm). The most common morphological type was fiber, followed by fragment. The most frequently observed color of MP was transparent, followed by red, green, and black, respectively. However, FTIR analysis could not definitively identify polymer types due to particle size limitations and insufficient signal intensity. This study provided preliminary evidence that commercially available hydroponic salad vegetables were contaminated with microplastics. Therefore, further research focusing on identifying sources of contamination in hydroponic cultivation systems is essential to support quality control and ensure consumer safety.
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บทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของ วารสารวิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี มหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี
ข้อความที่ปรากฏในบทความแต่ละเรื่องในวารสารวิชาการเล่มนี้เป็นความคิดเห็นส่วนตัวของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านไม่เกี่ยวข้องกับมหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี และคณาจารย์ท่านอื่นๆในมหาวิทยาลัยฯ แต่อย่างใด ความรับผิดชอบองค์ประกอบทั้งหมดของบทความแต่ละเรื่องเป็นของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่าน หากมีความผิดพลาดใดๆ ผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านจะรับผิดชอบบทความของตนเองแต่ผู้เดียว
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