S.K. Basri, A. Daud, A.B. Birawida, M. Maming, H.J. Mukono, D.S. Arsyad
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The coastal area of Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is heavily impacted by microplastic pollution, which poses a threat to marine organisms such as shellfish and fish. This aim of this study was to identifiy the presence of microplastic polymers, including vinylidene chloride, polyacetylene, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, poly(isobutyl methacrylate), cellulose acetate butyrate, polybutadiene, and polyvinylchloride, in shellfish and fish in the coastal area of Jeneponto district, Indonesia. METHODS: In total, 60 shellfish and fish samples were collected directly from 12 locations in the coastal waters of Jeneponto Regency. Sample preparation, including enzymatic digestion and mechanical destruction, was performed to separate the organic tissues of fish and shellfish into small particles. Optical microscopy (at 100× and 400× magnification) was used to observe the morphology and to count the number of particles per sample volume using a modified Neubeuer Improved Counting Chamber. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to determine the type of polymer. FINDINGS: Feather clams contained the highest number of microplastics, with a total of 58 items ranging from 0.027 to 4.587 millimeters in size. The total abundance of microplastics in feather clams ranged from 0.25 to 2.14 items per gram. Kurisi fish contained 22 items ranging from 0.085 to 2.127 millimeters in size, with a total abundance ranging from 0.01 to 0.08 items per gram. The types of polymers identified in the fish and clams included vinylidene chloride, polyacetylene, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, poly(isobutyl methacrylate), cellulose acetate butyrate, polybutadiene, and polyvinyl chloride. Vinylidene chloride was the predominant type of microplastic polymer, accounting for 42 percent of all microplastic polymers. CONCLUSION: This study successfully identified eight types of microplastic polymers found in shellfish and fish in the coastal area of Jeneponto; the most common was vinylidene chloride. These findings indicate that marine organisms and humans are exposed to microplastics, which are potentially harmful, but further research is needed to understand the full extent of the associated environmental health impacts and risks. © 2024 The author(s). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Departement of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Tamalanrea, Makassar, 90245, Indonesia; Departement of Environmental Health, Faculty of Sports and Health, Gorontalo State University, Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Gorontalo, 96128, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of science and Mathematics, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Tamalanrea, Makassar, 90245, Indonesia; Departement of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, Airlangga University, Jl. Dr. Ir. H. Soekarno, Mulyorejo, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia; Department of Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Centre Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Netherlands
Research at a Glance
Register to unlock
Topics & SDG Alignment
Register to unlock
Collaboration
Register to unlock
Author Profile (Selected)
Register to unlock
References Overview
Register to unlock
Journal & Source
Register to unlock
Metadata & Integrity
Register to unlock