Microplastic Occurrence Among White Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Sold in Different Wet Markets In General Santos City.

Most microplastics are commonly found in utilized products and it is originated from the fragmentation of larger plastics debris. Plastic enter in marine environment through terrestrial and land-based activities via runoffs and is transported through local aquaculture farms that supplies the need for marine and freshwater source. A 30 day experiment was conducted to determine the occurrence of microplastic to provide a quantification of microplastics ingested by cultured species from different aquaculture farm source around the Philippines and public awareness of the potential harm to human health.

Hence, a total of 200 samples of Litopenaeus vannamei were collected from Uhaw Public Market located in Brgy. Fatima, Calumpang Wet Market located in Brgy. Calumpang, GenSan Public Market located in Brgy. Dadiangas and Lagao Public Wet Market located in Brgy. Lagao. After dissection and evaluation, presence of microplastic had been found in the gastrointestinal tract of shrimp samples. A total of 101 microplastic were identified, fiber, fragment and film particles were the type of MPs found in the shrimp samples, films were recurrently found among individuals, 66 comparing to 20 and 15 of fragments and fiber respectively.

The result of the study showed Uhaw Public Market under Brgy. Uhaw has the highest concentration of MPs which had an abundance level of 1.38 MPs per shrimp. Followed by the Lagao Public Wet Market with 1.29 MPs per shrimp, followed by Calumpang Wet Market with 1.14 MPs per shrimp and finally the least concentration of MPs was found on GenSan Public Market which had an abundance value of 1.00 MPs per shrimp. The study proved the existence of microplastic contamination that may not only occur on marine species but possibly in farmed and cultured species. It is suggested that other cultured organisms should be subjected to microplastic investigation to further enhance the current information regarding microplastic ingestion.