Sains Malaysiana 53(10)(2024): 3301-3313

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5310-06

 

Taburan Menegak Mikroplastik Dalam Sedimen Teras Di Muara Sungai Pulai, Johor

(Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in Sediment Cores from Sungai Pulai Estuary, Johor)

 

LAILA ZULAIFAH ZULKIPLI, NURUL AISYAH MOHD ZAKI, MOHAMAD HAFIZ ABDUL HALIM, KHAIRIATUL MARDIANA JANSAR, MOHD TALIB LATIF & MASNI MOHD ALI*

 

Jabatan Sains Bumi dan Alam Sekitar, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Received: 6 May 2024/Accepted: 30 July 2024

 

Abstrak

Kewujudan mikroplastik dapat dilihat di pesisir pantai dan persekitaran marin dengan sedimen merupakan tempat pemendapan bagi mikroplastik. Walaupun begitu, taburan mikroplastik secara menegak dalam sedimen adalah berbeza-beza dan tidak jelas sepenuhnya. Kajian ini tertumpu kepada kehadiran dan pencirian mikroplastik di dalam sedimen teras di muara Sungai Pulai dengan dua stesen (SP1 dan SP2) telah dipilih. Sampel sedimen teras telah diambil menggunakan pensampel teras. Sampel sedimen diekstrak dan mikroplastik dicirikan dengan menggunakan mikroskop stereo dan analisis polimer dibuat menggunakan spektroskopi µ-RAMAN. Hasil daripada kajian ini menunjukkan kelimpahan mikroplastik yang paling tinggi didapati pada lapisan sedimen teratas (0–5 cm) iaitu 506 ± 115.47 partikel/kg di stesen SP1 dan sebanyak 220.00 ± 28.28 partikel/kg pada lapisan pertengahan (10–15 cm) di stesen SP2. Majoriti mikroplastik daripada kajian ini dijumpai dalam julat saiz < 100 µm (47%) di stesen SP1 dan saiz 100– 500 µm (39%) di stesen SP2. Selain itu, kebanyakan mikroplastik dijumpai adalah berwarna biru, iaitu 79% (SP1) dan 87% (SP2). Hanya dua bentuk mikroplastik yang dijumpai dalam kedua-dua teras sedimen iaitu bentuk gentian dan serpihan. Sebanyak 51% mikroplastik berbentuk serpihan mendominasi stesen SP1 dan 58% mikroplastik berbentuk gentian mendominasi stesen SP2. Poliester (PES), polietilena tereftalat (PET) dan poliakrilamida (PAM) telah dikenal pasti dan didapati polimer PET adalah polimer yang paling banyak ditemui di kawasan kajian mewakili 56% daripada keseluruhan polimer. Kajian ini dapat membantu untuk memahami corak, jenis dan potensi asal-usul mikroplastik dalam sedimen muara.

 

Kata kunci: Mikroplastik; muara; polimer; sedimen teras; spektroskopi RAMAN

 

Abstract

Existence of microplastic can be seen in coastal and marine environments, and sediment serve as a sink for microplastic. However, the vertical distribution of microplastic in sediments varies and is not entirely clear. This study focuses on the presence and characterization of microplastics in sediment cores in Sungai Pulai estuary, with two stations (SP1 and SP2). Sediment core samples were collected using a core sampler. Sediment samples were extracted and microplastics were characterized using a stereoscopic microscope and polymer analysis were conducted using µ-RAMAN spectroscopy. The results of this study show that the highest abundance of microplastic is in the top sediment layer (0–5 cm), with 506 ± 115.47 particles/kg at station SP1, and at station SP2, 220.00 ± 28.28 particles/kg were found in the middle layer (10–15 cm). This study found that the majority of microplastics were in the size range of < 100 µm (47%) at station SP1 and in between size range of 100–500 µm (39%) at station SP2. The predominant microplastics colour found in both stations SP1 and SP2 are blue (79% and 87%, respectively). Only two shapes of microplastics were found in both sediment cores namely fibers and fragments. A total of 51% of fragment microplastics dominates SP1 station and 58% of fiber microplastics dominates SP2 station. Polyester (PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyacrylamide (PAM) were identified, and PET is the most detected polymer in the study area, representing 56% of all polymers studied. This study contributed to understanding the patterns, types, and potential sources of microplastics in estuarine sediments.

 

Keywords: Estuary; microplastic; polymer; RAMAN spectroscopy; sediment core

 

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