Microplastic Occurrence in Different Fish Organs from Two Coastal Waters in Java Sea, Indonesia

Abstract

Plastic debris and microplastic (MP) have been associated with marine pollution. The present study aimed to assess the MP accumulation in different organs (gut and gill) of 6 economically important fish species from two essential coastal areas, Jakarta Bay and Cirebon Bay. MP was isolated with NaCl, followed by the identification of MP profiles with digital microscope and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), respectively. The result showed that MP was found in all samples. Generally, MP concentration in fish from Cirebon Bay was slightly higher than that from Jakarta Bay, with benthic species more concentrated than pelagic fish in both sites. Microplastic was more concentrated on the gill of fish from Jakarta Bay, in contrast with Cirebon Bay. The predominantly MP in Jakarta Bay fish was fiber, while in Cirebon Bay was fragmented with minor granule and film in both locations. Polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polypropylene (PP) were the most dominant MP in the fish samples from both study areas. Microplastic size showed that the majority (65%) was the small size (1 mm), compared to the bigger one (1-5 mm), while blue, black, and red are the predominantly MP colors. This research supports the need to minimize plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems to tackle the detrimental impact of MP accumulation to fish and human health. It is suggested to compare MP profiles on fish samples and in water or sediment compartments and identify the chemical constituents of MP.

Keywords

• microplastic
• fish gut
• fish gill
• jakarta bay
• cirebon bay