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ISSN 2063-5346
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Microplastic Contamination in Cultured Oysters (Ostreidae)

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Anabelle E. Villaceran, Jeneza M. Banasing
» doi: 10.48047/ecb/2023.12.si4.1757

Abstract

Six samples of intertidal long-line cultured oysters in the coastal areas of Sagay Marine waters such as Punta Roma, Old Sagay, Purok Mahogany and Sitio Tagnipis of Taba-ao, Purok Kalubihan and Sitio Tu-ong, Plaridel, Brgy. Bulanon and Vito were identified and mapped using the desire and flow lines technique from three to ten kilometers distance in a zigzag manner and transected during the low-tide hot season; extracted; weighed into 500 grams wet weight; coded; assessed and evaluated the microplastic contamination at Negros Prawn Producers Cooperative Analytical and Diagnostic Laboratory Center. Five samples were from the estuarine and densely populated areas and a sample was from the sea which had a ten-kilometer distance from densely population and beyond the mangroves’ reserve. Each meat sample was divided into four quadrants on filter paper and underwent a sterilization process using wet peroxide oxidation (WPO) chemical digestion and optical microscopy. Five out of 6 samples or 83% were microplastic contaminated and as evaluated, microplastic fiber was from synthetic worn-out clothes. Intertidal long-line cultured oysters in estuarine and in close distance with densely populated residences were more microplastic contaminated. As observed, the intertidal long-line oyster culture along the area with zero MPs content was beyond the mangrove reserve where macro and microplastics were filtered by the roots of the mangroves.

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