Microplastic Contamination in Commercially Important Fish from Labuan Bajo Fish Landing Site, Donggala, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Labuan Bajo Fish Landing Station (PPI) serves as a key site for landing economically important fish species in Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Given the rising concern over microplastic (MPs) contamination and its potential risk to food safety, this study investigated the abundance, characteristics (color, shape, and size), and polymer types of MPs in the digestive tracts of six commercially valuable fish species: Rastrelliger kanagurta, Decapterus macarellus, Katsuwonus pelamis, Chanos chanos, Euthynnus affinis, and Thunnus albacares. Sampling was conducted in August 2024 by purchasing 150 specimens (25 individuals per species) that were landed at the PPI Labuan Bajo. This study employed a descriptive quantitative method. Each fish underwent morphometric measurement and digestive tract dissection, followed by MPs extraction using 10% KOH digestion and stereomicroscopic analysis for particle identification. Microplastics were detected in 84–96% of the fish examined, indicating a high contamination prevalence. The highest mean abundance was observed in R. kanagurta (3.64 ± 0.35 particles/ind.) and D. macarellus (3.04 ± 0.47 particles/ind.). MPs were predominantly blue (49.9%), linear in shape (96.3%), and larger than 1mm in size (87.5%). Polymer analysis identified Nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the most common types. These findings underscore the pervasive presence of MPs in fish from this region, with potential implications for human consumption. Future studies should explore MPs contamination in other tissues such as gills and muscle, and emphasize integrated waste management strategies to mitigate microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems.