DETECTION OF TRICLOSAN POLLUTANTS ADSORBED ON POLYPROPYLENE MICROPLASTICS USING SIMPLE BIOMARKERS IN THE EMBRYOS OF Oryzias javanicus (BLEEKER, 1854)

Microplastics are one of the major pollutants with the ability to adsorb other pollutants such as triclosan. This potentially makes them vectors for the spread of triclosan in aquatic environments. This study analyses Oryzias javanicus embryo biomarkers that are sensitive for detecting the triclosan adsorbed on polypropylene microplastics. The treatments used are Treatment A, using Embryo Rearing Medium (ERM) as control, Treatment B, using ERM and Dimethyl Sulfoxide (ERM+DMSO), Treatment C, using triclosan solution (TCS), Treatment D, using polypropylene microplastics (PP), and Treatment E, using mixture of polypropylene microplastics and triclosan (PP+TCS). The observed biomarkers included number of somites, heart rate, yolk absorption rate, hatching time, total body length of the newly hatched larvae, and embryo survival rate. The results showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in heart rate, hatching time, total body length of the newly hatched larvae, and embryo survival rate for those exposed to PP+TCS. However, other biomarkers did not show a significant difference (P > 0.05). This study suggests that heart rate, hatching time, and total body length of the newly hatched larvae of O. javanicus embryos have the potential to be used as biomarkers for effect-based biomonitoring.