Microplastic contamination in Southeast Asia’s blue carbon habitats – systematic review paper with bibliometric approach

Abstract The rapid rise of plastic production has resulted in significant concerns regarding microplastic (MP) contamination, particularly in blue carbon habitats. Microplastics (MPs) research in Southeast Asia is limited despite the region being a major contributor to global marine plastic pollution. This review focuses on Southeast Asia's blue carbon habitats, involving mangroves and seagrass meadows, which are highly susceptible to MPs contamination due to their proximity to pollution sources and sediment-trapping abilities. This study aims to identify trends and patterns in MPs contamination study and to evaluate the abundance and characteristics of MPs present in blue carbon habitats in Southeast Asian countries. The PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct the systematic review, and the bibliometric analysis of studies from 2019 to 2024 was done with R software. There were 32 datasets selected from six Southeast Asian countries, with mangrove ecosystems dominating the studies (79%), followed by the seagrass ecosystems (21%). The data recorded information on 154 authors featured in these documents, with Indonesia and Thailand reporting the most studies on this topic. This review summarises the abundance and characterisation of MPs in different ecosystems using various sample types (sediment, water, and biota). Microscopy and FTIR techniques were commonly used for MP analysis, with fibre and fragment predominantly found in all samples. MP abundance is summarised in a table to support comparison across studies and facilitate comparative analysis. As a result, this review highlights the necessity for targeted research and policymakers in guiding long-term management and mitigation solutions for future MP concerns.