Squalen (May 2023)
Microplastics Characteristic In Commercial Pelagic And Demersal Fish In Bitung Water, North Sulawesi
Abstract
Microplastic is a plastic particle less than 5mm in size, a product of plastic waste fragmentation in the environment. Polymer characteristics, shape, and size affect the plastic fragmentation rate. This research aims to identify and compare visual characteristics and polymer types of microplastics found in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial pelagic and demersal fish in Bitung waters, North Sulawesi. A total of 753 microplastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tract of 75 individuals. Black and fiber are the dominant color and shapes of microplastics found in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish. While the dominant microplastic size found in the gastrointestinal tract of demersal fish was bigger (1,001-5,000µm) compared to pelagic fish (150-500µm). The FT-IR analysis result shows that microplastics of the same polymer type can be found in the gastrointestinal tract of both pelagic and demersal fish. Keywords: Bitung, Demersal fish, Gastrointestinal tract, Microplastics, Pelagic fish.
