ACCUMULATION OF MICROPLASTICS (<300 µM) IN MANGROVE SEDIMENTS OF BANDA ACEH CITY, INDONESIA

Mangrove sediments serve as sinks for microplastics originating from land, rivers, and the sea.Several studies have examined microplastic contamination in sediments; however, limited research focuses on microplastics smaller than 300 m in mangrove sediments in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance of microplastics in surface mangrove sediment in Banda Aceh.Sediment samples were taken from December 2023 to February 2024.Sediment samples were dry sieved and underwent a process to remove organic matter using H2O2, followed by density separation using saturated NaCl.A microscope was used to identify the microplastics while applying the rules of Hidalgo-Ruz and a hot needle test.The results revealed that the microplastic abundance was ranged from 1140-3840 particles/kg where the higher microplastic abundance was found in station 1 (Alue Naga Village) in February 2024.Pellets were the most commonly identified microplastics in this study, followed by fibers smaller than 300 m, and black was the most frequently observed color.The data obtained from this study can be used to support plastic waste management in the area.