Abstract
Plastic, especially microplastics, currently poses a potential threat to water pollution. Microplastics are found not only in water but also in aquatic biota. Green mussels Perna viridis cultivated in Mangkang Wetan coastal waters may be contaminated with microplastics. This research aimed to determine the abundance of microplastics by shape, colour, and polymer type, and to examine the relationship between the abundance of microplastics in the aquatic environment and green mussels P. viridis. Data collection was carried out using a random sampling method to assess the distribution of green mussel cultivation by collecting water samples and green mussels, which were analyzed using quantitative methods. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA and regression analysis. The research identified 4 types of microplastic forms in the waters and 3 in green mussels, with fragment forms dominant in both. Seven colours were found (yellow, green, blue, black, transparent, brown and red), with brown being the dominant colour. Nine types of polymers were identified (polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, nylon, cellulose acetate, polyethersulfone and polystyrene), with polyethylene terephthalate as the dominant polymer. The abundance of microplastics in the waters and green mussels at Station 1 was 6.33 ± 0.45 particles/liter and 4.91 ± 2.32 particles/ind, at Station 2 it was 2.33 ± 0.49 particles/liter and 1.33 ± 0.28 particles/ind, and at Station 3 it was 4.63 ± 0.32 particles/liter and 2.91 ± 1.18 particles/ind. The ANOVA results for microplastic abundance in the waters showed a significance value of 0.00 < 0.05. The ANOVA results for green mussel microplastic abundance showed a significance value of 0.072, which is > 0.05. The regression analysis showed an exponential pattern, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.685.