Microplastics in table salts?: How to easily study them. A Video-Assisted Protocol for Microplastic Analysis in Table Salt: Tailored for Home and School Laboratories

Abstract

This initiative introduces primary and secondary school students to scientific research through a hands-on experiment centered on global plastic pollution and its direct impact on human health. Driven by a cross-disciplinary collaboration among university faculty and students from Geology, Fine Arts, and Psychology, we developed a visual laboratory protocol to analyze microplastics in table salt. Tailored for various laboratory settings, this video guide demonstrates the separation, observation, and quantification of microplastics alongside other insoluble particles. Educators can effectively integrate this resource to contextualize Earth Science curricula or to introduce theoretical concepts through an engaging, practical approach.