Tiny, shiny, and colorful microplastics: Are regular glitters a significant source of microplastics?

Abstract

Used in significant volumes in make-up, craft activities, and -more recently- in textile products, glitters are among single-use plastics, and are often made of polyethylene terephthalate. Even though a wealth of studies focus on the sources of microplastics in the environment and biota, glitters produced in various countries, and used extensively in entertainment events, shows and carnivals around the globe, not to mention by virtually anyone in daily life settings, have been relatively ignored as a major source of microplastics. That is why the present study focuses specifically on plastic glitters, and attempts to track them in the environment, in a manner comparable to their use in forensic science where glitters are often used as trace evidence associating a suspect with a specific murder case. Doing so led to various pieces of evidence of the presence of glitters -arguably a stealthy source of microplastics - in samples taken from the environment at a wide range of locations around the world.