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Variasi Kontaminasi Mikroplastik pada Kerang Dara (Anadara granosa) berdasarkan Ukuran Individu di Pasar Induk Jakabaring, Palembang
Summary
Researchers found that blood cockles (a common shellfish sold at markets in Indonesia) contain tiny plastic particles regardless of their size — even small cockles had nearly as much microplastic contamination as large ones. This matters because it suggests you can't avoid microplastic exposure by simply choosing smaller shellfish; the real issue is pollution levels in the water where they're farmed, meaning cleaning up ocean and river plastic pollution is key to reducing what ends up on our plates.
Blood cockles (Anadara granosa) are filter-feeding bivalves that may accumulate microplastics and become a pathway of human exposure through seafood consumption. This study analyzed size-based variation in microplastic contamination in blood cockles marketed at Jakabaring Central Market, Palembang, Indonesia. Fifteen individuals were classified into three size groups: small (<3 cm), medium (3–4 cm), and large (>4 cm). Microplastics were extracted using 10% KOH digestion and identified microscopically according to abundance, shape, and color. The results showed a slight increase in abundance from 12.8 particles/individual in small cockles to 13.0 and 14.6 particles/individual in medium and large cockles, but the differences were not significant (p=0.467). Fragments were the dominant shape, while black particles predominated in all size groups. Pearson correlation indicated a weak positive relationship between soft tissue weight and microplastic abundance (r=0.360; p=0.188). These findings indicate that contamination is driven by pollution sources and environmental conditions rather than individual size.