Sains Malaysiana 49(9)(2020): 2237-2249

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4909-21

Analysis and Characterization of Microplastic from Personal Care Products and Surface Water in Bangi, Selangor

(Analisis dan Pencirian Mikroplastik daripada Produk Penjagaan Diri dan Air Permukaan di Bangi, Selangor)

NUR HAPIZAH SUARDY¹, NURFAIZAH ABU TAHRIM^1,2 & SURIA RAMLI^1,2,3*

¹Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Center for Water Research and Analysis (ALIR), Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³Polymer Research Center (PORCE), Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 15 October 2019/Accepted: 8 May 2020

ABSTRACT

Primary microplastics which include microbeads are added into cosmetics and personal care products as scrubbing agent and mostly used because of their uniformity and effective exfoliating properties. However due to their small size, microplastic cannot be filtered by the water treatment plant and flow into our waterways posing a great threat to the aquatic life. Therefore, this study aims to detect the presence of microplastics in personal care products and surface water. Microplastic from personal care samples were extracted using warm water at 60 ⁰C and then characterized using ATR - FTIR to determine the polymer composition. Based on the spectrum, the extracted microplastics were confirmed as polyethylene with significance peaks at 2800 - 2900 cm^-1 (C-H stretching) and medium band at 700 cm^-1 which indicates the presence of ethylene networks.  The extracted microplastics were also identified as polystyrene with the important peaks appear at 3300 and 1600 cm^-1 with additional weak peak at 1400 cm^-1 which represent C-H aromatic stretching and C=C aromatic group, respectively. Next, SEM method was used to determine the morphology and size of the microplastics which give sizes ranging from 200-500 µm for each sample. Furthermore, optical microscope was used to determine the color and shape of the microbeads. The results showed that extracted microbeads come from various colors such as white, purple, pink, brown and colorless while the shape observed was spherical, granular, and irregular. Next, insect net and bucket techniques were used in sampling of surface water. The successfully filtered solids were analysed using WPO method and characterize by ATR-FTIR technique. The microplastics found in surface water sample were from various shape including fragment, film, pellet, foam, and tube with the majority come from PE type polymer plastic. Hence, this study proved the presence of microplastic in personal care products that available in Malaysia as well as in surface water.

Keywords: Facial scrubs; microbeads; polyethylene; polymer; polystyrene

ABSTRAK

Mikroplastik primer yang merangkumi mikromanik ditambahkan ke dalam produk kosmetik dan penjagaan diri sebagai agen penyental dan kebanyakannya digunakan kerana keseragaman dan sifat pengelupasan yang berkesan. Namun kerana ukurannya yang kecil, mikroplastik tidak dapat disaring oleh kilang pengolahan air dan mengalir ke saluran air lalu menimbulkan ancaman besar kepada kehidupan air. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengesan kehadiran mikroplastik di dalam produk penjagaan diri dan air permukaan. Mikroplastik daripada sampel penjagaan diri diekstrak menggunakan air suam pada suhu 60 ⁰C dan kemudian dicirikan menggunakan ATR - FTIR untuk menentukan komposisi polimer. Berdasarkan spektrum, mikroplastik yang diekstrak disahkan sebagai polietilena dengan puncak penting pada 2800 - 2900 cm^-1 (peregangan C-H) dan jalur sederhana pada 700 cm^-1 yang menunjukkan adanya rangkaian etilena. Mikroplastik yang diekstrak juga dikenal pasti sebagai polistirena dengan puncak penting muncul pada 3300 dan 1600 cm^-1 dengan puncak lemah tambahan pada 1400 cm^-1 masing-masing mewakili regangan aromatik C-H dan kumpulan aromatik C=C. Seterusnya, kaedah SEM digunakan untuk menentukan morfologi dan ukuran mikroplastik yang memberikan ukuran antara 200-500 µm untuk setiap sampel. Selanjutnya, mikroskop optik digunakan untuk menentukan warna dan bentuk mikromanik. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa mikromanik yang diekstraks berasal daripada pelbagai warna seperti putih, ungu, merah jambu, coklat dan tidak berwarna sedangkan bentuk yang diperhatikan berbentuk bulat, berbutir dan tidak teratur. Seterusnya, teknik jaring serangga dan baldi digunakan dalam pengambilan sampel air permukaan. Pepejal yang berjaya disaring telah dianalisis menggunakan kaedah WPO dan dicirikan oleh teknik ATR-FTIR. Mikroplastik yang terdapat dalam sampel permukaan air adalah daripada pelbagai bentuk termasuk serpihan, filem, pelet, busa dan tiub dan berasal daripada plastik polimer jenis PE. Oleh itu, kajian ini membuktikan adanya mikroplastik dalam produk penjagaan diri yang terdapat di Malaysia dan juga di permukaan air.

Kata kunci: Lulur muka; mikromanik; polietilena; polimer; polisterina

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*Corresponding author; email: su_ramli@ukm.edu.my