Characterization of microplastics and associated metals in green mussel cultivation: Estimation of potential health risks

Green mussels, a popular seafood in Jakarta, have been found to be contaminated with microplastics. Microplastics are hydrophobic, they can adsorb various pollutants, such as metals and persistent organic compounds, onto their surface, thereby increasing the potential for biomagnification through the trophic chain. Microplastic contamination in mussels is a growing concern and may pose health risks to consumers. This research aims to characterize the types of polymers, shape colors, abundance of microplastic, detect heavy metal contaminants on microplastic surfaces in the gills, and estimate the health risks associated with their consumption. The results showed that microplastics were detected in all 120 green mussels sampled, with fragments being the dominant type, followed by fibers and films. The average abundance of microplastics was 18 ± 9.4 particles per individual or 4 ± 2.8 per gram of wet tissue weight and the average wet weight was 4.9 ± 2.15 g. FTIR analysis identified 15 types of polymers, and polymer hazard levels led to risk categories I, II III and V, which is considered very dangerous to human health. The percentages of aluminum and lead on the surface of gill microplastics were 0.15 % and 0.01 %, respectively, while the percentage of aluminum identified in microplastics on the Whatman filter was 0.23 %. The estimated annual quantity of microplastics ingested by humans ranged from 10,192 items to 76,440 items among diverse age ranges. It is estimated that each person in Indonesia ingests 271,313 microplastics annually through the consumption of green mussels. The ingestion of microplastics also leads to the intake of associated heavy metals, posing significant risks to human health.