Isolation and characterization of microplastics in dried tawilis (Sardinella tawilis) from Taal Lake, Philippines

• Main Authors: Ambatali, Alwyn Dave Magsino, Remonte, Patricia Anne Yason
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: Microplastics; Plastic marine debris—Philippines—Taal Lake; Sardinella—Philippines—Taal Lake; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_chem/18; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdb_chem/article/1024/viewcontent/Isolation_and_Characterization_of_Microplastics_in_Dried_Tawilis_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Microplastics are particles (< 5 mm) that have become prevalent in the marine environment. Their small size combined with toxic components present provide significant risks for marine life upon ingestion. There are also potential hazards for humans as commercial fish may have consumed microplastics. A qualitative analysis for microplastics was done on Sardinella tawilis, the only freshwater sardine species in the world endemic in Taal Lake, Philippines. 30 samples were collected and subjected to KOH digestion followed by NaCl density separation. Through microscopic analysis, this study was able to confirm the presence of three types of microplastics – filaments, fragments, and films. Black is the most common color of filaments observed, followed by blue and red. Cream to transparent fragments with varying shapes were also observed on all samples. By utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy – attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, it was confirmed that the identity of such microplastics were degraded polyamides since known signature peaks in polyamides were also present in the sample spectra generated. Being said, these methods confirm that the microplastics observed were likely to be polyamides of origin – which are closely linked to fishing nets, textiles, and other materials that were likely to be degraded and eventually pollute the lake.