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Effect of Land Use within Watershed Boundary on the Types of Microplastics Observed in Surface Water
Summary
This study surveyed microplastics in the Ciujung watershed in Indonesia and found polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester particles in surface water, with the types of plastic reflecting local land use activities such as farming, irrigation, and settlement waste disposal. The research demonstrates that land use patterns within a watershed directly shape the microplastic contamination profile of its waterways, which is important for identifying pollution sources and designing targeted interventions.
Due to exposure to their chemical components, microplastics (<5mm) are byproducts of plastic degradation that can be harmful to the environment and human health. Microplastics, one of which is in the watershed, will be present due to human activity-related irresponsible discharge of plastic waste into the environment. The watershed's use of the land has an impact as well. This research aims to analyze how different land use patterns affect the types of microplastics that have been observed. This research's methodology is quantitative and includes techniques for spatial, statistical, and chemical analysis. In the Ciujung watershed, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyester microplastics were observed according to the study's findings. The type of microplastic observed was likely brought on by local activities. On agricultural land, plantations, and settlements, fertilization, irrigation, and other human activities may contribute to microplastic contamination. The vast amount of plastic bags and bottles that are left behind are either immediately dumped into the Ciujung Watershed by the locals or carried away by the flow of activities on the land, where they eventually degrade into microplastics.