Microbeads in exfoliating products: occurrence, abundance, and potential for water contamination in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Microbeads in exfoliating products are a significant source of microplastics entering aquatic ecosystems. This study characterized microbeads in popular facial scrub and body scrub products from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to quantify abundances and estimate emissions. A selection of facial scrub and body scrub cleansers were collected from local markets and analyzed to quantify microbead properties including the size, color, mass, and abundance of microbeads in the exfoliating cleansers. Results revealed a wide range of microbead sizes (66–1012 μm) and different shapes and colors within and between products. Most contained heterogenous particles of white, green, blue, red, brown, and black spherical microbeads. The range of microbead abundance was 236–942 particles per gram of product. Annual microbead emissions from the use of these products in Ho Chi Minh City were estimated based on population and usage data. The total annual emission of microbeads from facial and body scrubs in Ho Chi Minh City amounted to 1.3 billion microbeads. On a per capita basis, this equaled 880 microbeads per person annually discharged into the local water environment. According to the study, a preliminary calculation indicated that approximately 2640 microbeads were released per year per female student in Ho Chi Minh City. By providing an initial ssessment of microbead pollution arising specifically from personal care items in Vietnam, this study raises awareness of microplastics introduction into Asian coastal zones via cosmetic products. The baseline data establishes a foundation for further investigations. This represents an important step in quantifying and addressing an emerging microplastic source in the region.