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ISSN 2063-5346
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Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics on Coastal Intertidal Zones of Brunei Darussalam

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Azwar Z. Norshamli, and Jose H. Santos*
» doi: 10.48047/ecb/2023.12.8.221

Abstract

Microplastic pollution has become a major environmental concern due to its ubiquity and potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems. This study investigates the types and distributionof microplastics in the coastal intertidal zones of Brunei Darussalam. Sediment samples were collected from various beaches, and an extraction process was employed to isolate microplastics from the sediments. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was then used to identify the microplastics present. The most common polymers detected include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which constitute a significant portion of global plastic production. Results reveal the widespread presence of microplastics across the selected study sites, with PP being the most commonly detected polymer. The distribution of microplastics is associated with varying degrees of human activities, such as recreational use and fishing

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