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.