Sebaran Spasial dan Temporal Mikroplastik pada Sedimen di Perairan Danau Toba Provinsi Sumatera Utara

Abstract

Lake Toba is one of the largest lake ecosystems in Indonesia and the largest tectovolcanic lake in the world, which plays an important role in people's lives, both as a water source, tourist attraction, transportation (port) and in the fisheries sector. However, increased community activities around and some of the uses in the lake cause pollution in the lake waters due to pollution from various sources, such as settlements, plantations, transportation (ports) and the fisheries sector causing plastic waste pollution, which will degrade into microplastics. This study aims to determine the characteristics and types and distribution of microplastics spatially and temporally in sediments in Lake Toba waters. The method used in this study is Purpose sampling, which is divided into 21 stations based on the characteristics of the waters around the area carried out in two different seasons, namely the dry season and the rainy season. Identification of microplastics was carried out using a stereo microscope with categories based on type, color, and size. The results showed that microplastics were found at all stations with varying numbers and types. The dominant type of microplastic is fragments, while the most common colors found are black, blue, and brown. The abundance of microplastics tends to be higher in the rainy season than in the dry season, which is influenced by increased surface flow and human activities.