Microplastic Accumulation in Coral Reef Ecosystems at Peukan Bada District, Aceh Besar

Microplastics are plastic fragments measuring < 5 mm, microplastics that enter the water can damage the growth of coral reefs. The aim of this research is to obtain accurate data on the distribution of microplastics, as an initial step in conservation and mitigation of the impact of plastic waste pollution in the Ujong Pancu area. Sediment samples were taken using coring method. Microplastic identification was carried out at the Marine Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Syiah Kuala University using a binocular microscope with zig-zag pattern identification. The results of this study are that there are three types of microplastic found in Ujong Pancu waters, namely fiber, film, and fragment types. The average abundance of microplastics in Ujong Pancu Waters ranges from 32–68 particles/kg. The highest average abundance of microplastics is in the north-western part of Pulau Tuan and the lowest is in Lhok Mata Ie Beach. The highest type of microplastic found was film and the lowest type of microplastic found was fiber. The condition of coral reefs in Ujong Pancu waters is in the moderate category. The relationship between microplastic abundance and the percentage of live coral cover and environmental parameters was 85.01%.