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Analysis of Microplastic Content in Milkfish (Chanos chanos) and Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Ciruas Market, Serang Regency
Summary
Researchers tested milkfish and tilapia sold at a local market in Indonesia and found that every single fish sample contained microplastics, tiny plastic fragments, mostly thread-like fibers, made from materials like polypropylene, nylon, and polystyrene. Since these fish are common food sources, this suggests people eating them may unknowingly be consuming small amounts of plastic too, raising questions about long-term health effects that scientists are still working to fully understand.
Plastic is a synthetic material that is widely used by people in everyday life, in recent years the increase in production and use of plastic has become one of the most pressing environmental issues in the world. The high use of plastic combined with the low ability of plastic to decompose causes the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, the results of the degradation process in plastic will change the plastic to be easily decomposed and turn into very small plastic particles called microplastics. This study aims to identify the characteristics and abundance of microplastics found in milkfish (Chanos chanos) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) sold at Ciruas Market. Fish sampling was carried out using a purposive sampling technique during the period November to December 2024, with a total of 18 fish. The results showed that all fish samples were contaminated with microplastics, especially in the form of fibers, with black, white, red, brown, and transparent colors, and particle sizes ranging from 1–2 mm. Identified plastic polymers include Polypropylene (PP), Nylon, Polystyrene (PS), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and Polycarbonate (PC).