Microplastic characteristics in several land covers in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar

¹ Soil Science Department, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Kopelma Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
² Research Center for Biochar and Sustainable Tropical Forests, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Kopelma Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
³ Agrotechnology Department, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Kopelma Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
⁴ Agricultural Engineering Department, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Kopelma Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia
⁵ Enviromental Management Department, Master Program Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia

^* Email: ichwana.ramli@usk.ac.id

Abstract

Plastic is one of the materials that is often used by people who are difficult to decompose. The decomposed plastic will become several parts which are termed macro plastic and micro plastic. Plastic will accumulate in soil and water can release chemicals that will endanger plant health. The purpose of this paper is to identify the accumulation of microplastics in several land covers. The research started with sampling on land cover at Mini Sport center Universitas Syiah Kuala (Gelanggang Park), Experimental Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Urban Forest, Community Park (Tahura), and Edge of cross road (sibreh). Each replicate was sampled amount to 30 top soil samples (0-5 cm) and 30 subsoil samples (5-20 cm). Total soil samples per location point were 6 samples. The stages carried out were starting from drying the sample, separating the sediment, removing the organic material, separating the solid and identifying microplastic. Results found that the most dominant type of microplastics found at each sample point is the Fragment type of microplastics with 164 particles. Then fiber type microplastics with a particle count of 103 particles. While the least found is the type of microplastic film with a particle count of 92 particles. At Gelanggang Park, we found a high abundance of Film species and a moderate abundance of Fiber species. The Urban Forest had a low abundance of all particle types. The most common colour appearing in the data are Brown and Grey, with a total of 210 and 73 respectively. The colours dominate compared to other colour across locations and layers, there are differences in the number of colours between the Lower and Upper layers at each site.