Supplementary Materials for

Human Consumption of Microplastics

Authors: Kieran D. Cox1,2*, Garth A. Covernton1, Hailey L. Davies1, John F. Dower1, Francis

Juanes1, Sarah E. Dudas1,2,3

Affiliations:
1 Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
2 Hakai Institute, Calvert Island, British Columbia, Canada.
3 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.

*Corresponding Author: Kieran Cox. Email: [email protected], Phone: +1 778 977-0142

This file includes:

Figures S1

Table S1 – S3

Supplemental References

1
Fig. S1. Polymer identification methods including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

(FTIR), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Raman spectroscopy, and

Rose Bengal stain used to verify microplastic particle (MP) concentrations in (A) seafood

including bivalves, crustaceans and fishes, (B) honey, salt and sugar, and (C) liquids including

beer and water. Error bars represent the standard deviation.

2
Table S1: List of the lead author(s) and year of publication, origin country of consumption item,
consumption item, concentration of microplastic particles (MPs), sample size, and whether
blanks included for each of the 25 studies included in the analysis.

Food MPs per Blank

Study Country Item n
Type g/L/m3 included
Van Cauwenberghe
France, Germany Bivalves 0.36 93 Yes
and Janssen 2014
Li et al. 2015 China Bivalves 4.20 45 Yes
Van Cauwenberghe
North Sea Coast Bivalves 0.20 5 Yes
et al. 2015
Davidson and Dudas
Canada Bivalves 1.33 54 Yes
2016
De Witte et al. 2014 Belgium Bivalves 0.37 10 Yes
Li et al. 2016 China Bivalves 2.22 396 Yes
Mathalon and Hill
Canada Bivalves 4.35 45 Yes
Seafood 2014
Naji et al. 2018 Persian Gulf Bivalves 1.34 93 Yes
Qu et al. 2018 China Bivalves 2.80 450 Yes
Su et al. 2018 China Bivalves 1.38 630 Yes
Thushari et al. 2017 Thailand Bivalves 0.46 45 Yes
International, 4
Devriese et al. 2015 Crustacean 0.75 170 Yes
countries
International, 13
Karami et al. 2018 Canned Fish 0 84 Yes
countries
Akhbarizadeh et al.
Persian Gulf Fish 1.00 71 Yes
2018
Yang et al. 2015 China Lake Salt 0.20 15 Yes
Karami et al. 2017 Iran, Malaysia Lake Salt 0.00 8 No
Kosuth et al. 2018 Himalayan Rock Salt 0.01 1 Yes
Iñiguez et al. 2017 Spain Sea Salt 0.12 48 Yes
Yang et al. 2015 China Sea Salt 0.62 15 Yes
Salt International, 6
Karami et al. 2017 Sea Salt 0.00 56 No
countries
International, 9
Kosuth et al. 2018 Sea Salt 0.00 11 Yes
countries/oceans
Iñiguez et al. 2017 Spain Well Salt 0.14 15 Yes
Unidentified
Karami et al. 2017 New Zealand 0.00 4 No
Salt
Liebezeit and International, 4 Liquid
0.10 8 No
Liebezeit 2013 countries Honey
Honey
Liebezeit and International, 6 Liquid
0.11 32 Yes
Liebezeit 2015 countries Honey

3
 Liebezeit and Germany, Italy,
Solid Honey 0.09 11 No
Liebezeit 2013 Mexico
Liebezeit and International, 4
Solid Honey 0.11 27 Yes
Liebezeit 2015 countries
Liebezeit and
Sugar Germany Sugar 0.44 5 No
Liebezeit 2013
Kosuth et al. 2018 Canada Beer 4.05 11 Yes
Alcohol Wiesheu et al. 2016 Germany Beer 10.10 3 Yes
Liebezeit and
Germany Beer 82.67 30 Yes
Liebezeit 2014
Bottled
Wiesheu et al. 2016 Germany 0.33 3 Yes
Water
International, 9 Bottled
Mason et al. 2018 325.33 518 Yes
countries Water
Schymanski et al. Bottled
Water Germany 48.25 38 Yes
2018 Water
Bottled
Kosuth et al. 2018 Not specified 3.57 3 Yes
Water
International, 14
Kosuth et al. 2018 Tap Water 4.24 159 Yes
countries
Apartment
Dris et al. 2017 France 1.64 24 No
Air
Dris et al. 2017 France Office Air 4.80 12 No
Air Dris et al. 2017 France Outdoor Air 0.30 12 No
Kaya et al. 2018 Turkey Campus Air 14.27 NA Yes
Bus
Kaya et al. 2018 Turkey 23.95 NA Yes
Terminal

4
Table S2. List of the lead author(s) and year of publication, concentration of microplastic
particles (MPs) for each of the 25 studies included in the analysis, and the total microplastic
particles for each consumption item group in respective units (R.U.).

Food MPs per

Study Average (R.U.)
Type g/L/m3
Van Cauwenberghe and Janssen 2014 0.36
Li et al. 2015 4.20
Van Cauwenberghe et al. 2015 0.20
Davidson and Dudas 2016 1.33
De Witte et al. 2014 0.37
Li et al. 2016 2.22
Mathalon and Hill 2014 4.35
Seafood 1.48
Naji et al. 2018 1.34
Qu et al. 2018 2.80
Su et al. 2018 1.38
Thushari et al. 2017 0.46
Devriese et al. 2015 0.75
Karami et al. 2018 0.00
Akhbarizadeh et al. 2017 1.00
Yang et al. 2015 0.32
Karami et al. 2017 0.00
Salt 0.11
Kosuth et al. 2018 0.01
Iñiguez et al. 2017 0.13
Liebezeit and Liebezeit 2013 0.09
Honey 0.10
Liebezeit and Liebezeit 2015 0.11
Sugar Liebezeit and Liebezeit 2013 0.44 0.44
Kosuth et al. 2018 4.05
Alcohol Wiesheu et al. 2016 10.10 32.27
Liebezeit and Liebezeit 2014 82.67
Wiesheu et al. 2016 0.33
Bottled Mason et al. 2018 325.33
94.37
Water Schymanski et al. 2018 48.25
Kosuth et al. 2018 3.57
Tap
Kosuth et al. 2018 4.24
Water 4.24
Dris et al. 2017 2.09
Air 9.80
Kaya et al. 2018 17.75

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Table S3. Source information on the dietary recommended intake of each food group used to
determine human microplastic consumption of various age groups and sexes including male
adults 19-71 years (MA), female adults 19-71 years (FA), male children 1-18 years (MC) and
female children 1-18 years (FC). All values are reported as daily intake.

Document Food group Sex Daily intake (g)

MC 28.89
MA 37.82
Seafood
FC 27.40
FA 34.90
MC 2.00
MA 2.00
Honey
FC 2.00
Dietary guidelines for FA 2.00
Americans 2015-2020
Eighth Edition MC 47.60
MA 66.81
Sugar
FC 40.83
FA 51.81
MC 1.98
MA 2.30
Sodium
FC 1.98
FA 2.31
World Health Organization: MA 0.04
Global Status Report on Beer
Alcohol and Health 2014 FA 0.01
MC 0.44
Bottled MA 0.44
Water FC 0.44
Dietary Reference FA 0.44
Intakes: Electrolytes and
Water MC 1.74
MA 3.26
Tap water
FC 1.41
FA 2.26
MC 11.25
Exposure Factors Handbook MA 17.32
Air
2011 Edition FC 9.88
FA 13.50

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K. Davidson, S. E. Dudas, Microplastic ingestion by wild and cultured Manila clams (Venerupis

philippinarum). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 71, 147–156 (2016).

B. De Witte et al., Quality assessment of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis): Comparison between

commercial and wild types. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 85, 146–155 (2014).

L. I. Devriese et al., Microplastic contamination in brown shrimp (Crangon crangon, Linnaeus

1758) from coastal waters of the Southern North Sea and Channel area. Mar. Pollut. Bull.

98, 179–187 (2015).

R. Dris et al., A first overview of textile fibers, including microplastics, in indoor and outdoor

environments. Environ. Pollut. 221, 453–458 (2017).

M. E. Iñiguez, J. A. Conesa, A. Fullana, Microplastics in Spanish table salt. Sci. Rep. 7, 8620

(2017).

A. Karami et al., Microplastic and mesoplastic contamination in canned sardines and sprats. Sci.

Total Environ. 612, 1380–1386 (2018).

A. Karami et al., The presence of microplastics in commercial salts from different countries. Sci.

Rep. 7, 46173 (2017).

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and sea salt. PLOS One. 13, e0194970 (2018).

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177–184 (2016).

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Part A Chem. Anal. Control. Expo. Risk Assess. 30, 2136–2140 (2013).

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