Microplastics Ingestion by Fish in The Pangandaran Bay, Indonesia

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of microplastic particles in the digestive tracts of fishes from Pangandaran bay. The fish were collected by local fisherman. A total of 18 fish representing 2 species (Trichiurus sp. and Johnius sp.) were examined for microplastics. In total, 193 microplastic particles were found in the gastro-intestinal tracts of all fishes. Microplastic particles were categorized as fragment (49.74%), fiber (22.8%), and film (27.46%), with size ranging from 0.12 to 5 mm. A statistically significant difference existed in the abundance of microplastic ingestion among the two species. The results of this study provide the first evidence of microplastic contamination in fish in Pangandaran bay.