Microplastics in surface water of Laguna de Bay: first documented evidence on the largest lake in the Philippines

Abstract

The pollution of aquatic systems by microplastics is a well-known environmental problem. However, limited studies have been conducted in freshwater systems, especially in the Philippines. Here, we determined for the first time the amount of microplastics in the Philippines’ largest freshwater lake, the Laguna de Bay. Ten (10) sampling stations on the lake’s surface water were sampled using a plankton net. Samples were extracted and analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A total of 100 microplastics were identified from 10 sites with a mean density of 14.29 items/m 3 . Most microplastics were fibers (57%), while blue-colored microplastics predominated in the sampling areas (53%). There were 11 microplastic polymers identified, predominantly polypropylene (PP), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which together account for 65% of the total microplastics in the areas. The results show that there is a higher microplastic density in areas with high relative population density, which necessitates implementing proper plastic waste management measures in the communities operating on the lake and in its vicinity to protect the lake's ecosystem services. Furthermore, future research should also focus on the environmental risks posed by these microplastics, especially on the fisheries and aquatic resources.

Riverine Microplastic Pollution: Insights from Cagayan de Oro River, Philippines

“…Blue-colored microplastic was the most dominant color found in the study, which was consistent with the findings of Arcadio et al [ 60 ] in Laguna de Bay, Navarro et al [ 63 ] in Butuan Bay, and Sajorne et al [ 30 ] in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Previous research revealed that blue-colored MPs were one of the colors highly associated with ropes, safeguard lines, and fishing materials [ 95 , 96 ].…”

“…In terms of shape, the Cagayan de Oro River, Philippines, was dominated by fiber MPs, similar to the study conducted along the Pearl River, China, which accounted for 94.4% of the total [ 89 ]. In addition, microplastic studies in the Philippines such as the study undertaken by Arcadio et al [ 60 ] in Laguna de Bay, Navarro et al [ 63 ] in Butuan Bay, and Sajorne et al [ 30 ] on Puerto Princesa Beach, Palawan were all dominated by fiber MPs. One of the causes of the release of fiber MP is washing a garment that can shed more than 1900 fibers per wash, releasing more than 100 fibers per liter of effluent [ 55 ].…”

“…Since microplastics are known as emerging contaminants, it has become a concern recently [ 53 ]. In the Philippines, microplastics were documented in the marine coastal environment [ 30 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], in freshwaters [ 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ], in mangroves [ 63 ], in the air [ 64 ], and also in the digestive tracts of a variety of organisms [ 56 , 65 ] which conveys the prevalence of microplastics in various environments. Although the Philippines is a prominent plastic polluter from rivers to the ocean [ 27 , 35 , 36 , 66 ], the microplastics in rivers are less explored than in the marine environment.…”

Assessment of Microplastics in the Surface Water of Sitio Pulo, Navotas, Metro Manila

“…Furthermore, it was reported that 4,319,981 anthropogenic litter were collected from land, underwater, and watercraft cleanups last 2017, wherein mostly were plastic debris [15] which indicated that the Philippines was no exception from the presence of microplastics. The occurrence of microplastics from Majalar Bay [16], Molawin watershed in Laguna [17], Laguna de Bay [18], and from the surface water of five rivers connecting to Manila Bay namely: Cañas River; Meycauayan River; Parañaque River; Pasig River; and Tullahan River [19][20] was recently determined. Microplastics were also isolated in the aciddigested mussel soft tissue of Asian green mussels cultured in Bacoor Bay [9], in detritus-feeding mullets, and herbivorous rabbit fish in Eastern Visayas [21][22].…”

Perception and Awareness of Marine Plastic Pollution in Selected Tourism Beaches of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, Philippines

“…Studies on plastic pollution has been growing over the past decade, however there is limited data regarding marine plastic pollution in the Philippines. Studies carried out in the Philippines mostly focused on sediments and water (Arcadio et al, 2022;Navarro et al, 2022;Browne et al, 2011;Esquinas et al, 2020;Kalnasa et al, 2019;Paler et al, 2019) and living organisms (Argamino & Janairo, 2016;Abreo et al, 2016;Espiritu et al, 2019;Bucol et al, 2020). There are a few studies on sandy beaches (Sajorne et al, 2021), but none has focused on tourism as a contributing factor.…”