Assessment and Removal Strategy of Microplastic Pollution in River Water in the Krueng Aceh River, Indonesia

The pollution of water bodies by microplastic (MP) particles is a significant concern that has drawn the attention of environmental health organizations from various regions of the world.This concern is primarily caused by the potential of particles from the incomplete degradation of plastic waste to enter the food chain via water sources or fish consumed by humans.In Indonesia, the Krueng Aceh River is a water body that stretches across the Aceh Besar Regency and the Municipality of Banda Aceh (Indonesia).The river serves as a raw water source for clean water treatment for residents of both regions.The discovery of MP pollution in rivers in various regions of Indonesia as well as other countries has raised concerns regarding the presence of pollutants in the Krueng Aceh River.Therefore, this study identified MP particle pollution in the Krueng Aceh River water and assessed potential separation using ultrafiltration technology based on Polyethersulfone-graphene oxide membrane.Water samples were collected at five points along the river's flow through the Aceh Besar area and Banda Aceh City.A total of 2 types of flat sheet membranes were created with a composition of Polyethersulfone polymer and graphene oxide in dimethylformamide.The ultrafiltration module was designed using cross-flow filtration with the feed of five samples of Krueng Aceh River water.Analysis was then conducted on the quantity, shape, and type of MP particles in water samples before and after ultrafiltration.The results showed that all water samples contained MP particles at a concentration of 18-22 particles/mL.This indicates that the Krueng Aceh River was already contaminated with MP pollutants.Therefore, special treatment efforts were needed by the government before it could be used as a source for the production of clean water for the residents of Banda Aceh City and Aceh Besar Regency.Based on these findings, the proposed alternative filtration technique can effectively remove pollutants by up to 91%.