Unraveling Microplastic Pollution in Mangrove Sediments of Butuan Bay, Philippines

Abstract

The mass production and consumption of plastics have serious effects on the environment, human health, and livelihood. Hence, global efforts to reduce plastic generation must be realized. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of microplastics in mangrove sediments of Cabadbaran, Buenavista, and Nasipit in Butuan Bay, Philippines. Seventy-two (72) microplastic particles were extracted from mangrove sediments dominated by fibrous type (71%) and blue (35%) as the most common color. Attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopy was used to assess the polymer type of microplastics. Results reveal a total of six polymer types including high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyamide, and polypropylene, with the latter comprising 39% of samples, the highest among the extracted particles. Overall, Nasipit (71.1/kg) obtained the highest microplastic density followed by Buenavista (48.9/kg) and Cabadbaran (40.0/kg). These data will serve as a piece of baseline information in crafting important environmental policies to address plastic pollution issues in the area. Long-term studies are recommended to better understand, monitor, and prevent further microplastic pollution in Butuan Bay.

Riverine Microplastic Pollution: Insights from Cagayan de Oro River, Philippines

“…Blue-colored microplastic was the most dominant color found in the study, which was consistent with the findings of Arcadio et al [ 60 ] in Laguna de Bay, Navarro et al [ 63 ] in Butuan Bay, and Sajorne et al [ 30 ] in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Previous research revealed that blue-colored MPs were one of the colors highly associated with ropes, safeguard lines, and fishing materials [ 95 , 96 ].…”

“…In terms of shape, the Cagayan de Oro River, Philippines, was dominated by fiber MPs, similar to the study conducted along the Pearl River, China, which accounted for 94.4% of the total [ 89 ]. In addition, microplastic studies in the Philippines such as the study undertaken by Arcadio et al [ 60 ] in Laguna de Bay, Navarro et al [ 63 ] in Butuan Bay, and Sajorne et al [ 30 ] on Puerto Princesa Beach, Palawan were all dominated by fiber MPs. One of the causes of the release of fiber MP is washing a garment that can shed more than 1900 fibers per wash, releasing more than 100 fibers per liter of effluent [ 55 ].…”

“…Since microplastics are known as emerging contaminants, it has become a concern recently [ 53 ]. In the Philippines, microplastics were documented in the marine coastal environment [ 30 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], in freshwaters [ 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ], in mangroves [ 63 ], in the air [ 64 ], and also in the digestive tracts of a variety of organisms [ 56 , 65 ] which conveys the prevalence of microplastics in various environments. Although the Philippines is a prominent plastic polluter from rivers to the ocean [ 27 , 35 , 36 , 66 ], the microplastics in rivers are less explored than in the marine environment.…”

Assessment of Macroplastic Litter on the Coastal Seabeds of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao Del Norte, Philippines

“…Almost 70% of all plastics made are known to eventually sink in water, and it is suspected that ever-increasing amounts of plastic items are accumulating in seabed sediments (Hammer et al 2012). These plastics may be buried in the sediment, undergo weathering, be consumed by benthic organisms, and may harbor microbial communities (Schwarz et al 2019;Onda et al 2019;Shiu et al 2020;Navarro et al 2022). There were studies that tackled plastic pollution in different coastal ecosystems.…”

“…There were studies that tackled plastic pollution in different coastal ecosystems. These coastal ecosystems include riverine areas, mangrove areas, beach areas, and other respective coastal areas (Acot et al 2022;Sajorne et al 2022;Gaboy et al 2022;Escañan and Bacosa, 2022;Navarro et al 2022), but only a few have been conducted in the Philippines, especially on how plastics end up and submerged in coastal seabeds. The seabed is important to the coastal ecosystem in way that it sustains a crucial purpose and ecosystem services, which include nutrient regeneration, carbon sequestration, and biological and mineral resources (Banet 2020).…”