Identification and Quantification of Microplastics Contamination in Potato from Malang Raya, Indonesia

¹ Plant Production and Biotechnology – PT Smart Tbk., Bogor 16810, West Java, Indonesia
² University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25130 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
³ Universitas Islam Madura, Pamekasan 699317, East Java, Indonesia
⁴ University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang 65144, East Java, Indonesia
⁵ Merdeka University of Madiun, Madiun 63133, East Java, Indonesia
⁶ International Islamic University Malaysia, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
⁷ Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation, Gresik 61177, East Java, Indonesia
⁸ Central Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Satwa Sehat Indonesia, Malang 65146, Indonesia
⁹ State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, East Java, Indonesia
¹⁰ University of Latvia, Riga LV-1004, Latvia
¹¹ Research Center for Food Technology and Processing (PRTPP), National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Special Region of Yogyakarta 55861, Indonesia
¹² University of Wiraraja, Sumenep 69451, East Java, Indonesia
¹³ University of Brawijaya, Malang 65145, East Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: thontowi@umm.ac.id

Abstract

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soil has the potential to contaminate plants and agricultural products with negative impacts on humans and living creatures. Therefore, identifying and quantifying MPs in potato farms is essential to evaluate. This study aims to estimate MPs pollutants in potato farms. This study found that potato farm components (potato seedlings, soil, organic fertilizer, potato, irrigation water and potato chips) had a total MPs content of 104 particles. The higher abundance of MPs 2.83 mL^–1 was recorded in Pujon Kidul irrigation water and lower abundance of MPs 0.03 g^–1 was noted in Potato chip – “OK” brand. Considering size of microplastic the maximum size of MPs 5.449 mm was calculated in Pujon Kidul irrigation water and minimum size of MPs 0.172 mm was noted in Pujon Kidul 3^rd growing media. The colors of MPs identified are transparent, black, blue, red, yellow, and green. In addition, the MP’s shape was 68.2 % of fibre, 26.9 % of filament, 3.8 % fragment, and 1.1 % of granules in potato farm components. The emerging pollutants must be addressed because microplastic degradation causes them to spread more widely, accumulating over tens to hundreds of years as a hidden danger.