Occurrence of Microplastics in Three Bivalves in
Bais City Market
Undergraduate Thesis Submitted by
AL PRINCE B. SONJACO
In partial fulfillment of the degree of
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY
of the
Biology Department
Silliman University, Dumaguete City
Philippine 6200
October 2019
,Table of Contents
Approval Sheet …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. i
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii
List of Figures ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. iv
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. v
CHAPTER I ............................................................................................................... 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE .................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
THE PROBLEM ...................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER II ............................................................................................................. 4
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .......................................................................... 4
Microplastics .......................................................................................................................... 4
Microplastics in the environment ....................................................................................... 5
Effects of microplastics to organisms ................................................................................ 6
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY .................................................................. 9
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY.................................................................. 10
CHAPTER III ......................................................................................................... 11
MATERIALS AND METHODS .......................................................................................11
Preliminary study ................................................................................................................ 11
Collection of samples ......................................................................................................... 12
Laboratory work ................................................................................................................. 13
Chemical digestion ............................................................................................................. 15
Analysis of data .................................................................................................................. 16
Species Description ............................................................................................................ 16
Study Site ............................................................................................................................ 18
Data Sampling .................................................................................................................... 19
Statistical Analysis .............................................................................................................. 19
Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................................ 19
Chapter IV ............................................................................................................. 20
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................20
RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 20
DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................................... 27
Chapter V ............................................................................................................... 28
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................28
CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 28
RECOMMENDATION ........................................................................................................... 28
LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 29
, CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
People nowadays use plastics in their everyday lives, from water bottles to
household items and containers for their groceries. Although plastics are very
cheap and somewhat practical to use, it may have a huge effect in our
environment. Especially for marine and land animals, globally more than 330
metric tons of plastics is produced each year, leaving potential sources of
microplastics pollution all around us (Tutton et al., 2018).
Microplastics are classified as any type of plastic fragment less than 5mm in
length. (Exeter University, 2014) Microplastics are small, barely visible pieces of
plastics that enter and pollute the environment and plastics can be easily
ingested in marine animals which are very dangerous for their health and may
lead to their death. More and more articles are published about plastic ingestion
of animals leading to their deaths and microplastics found in food for human
consumption like in salts (Yang et al., 2015). The researcher would like to study
about occurrence of microplastics in bivalves. This study wants to find out if
there are microplastic contamination in their soft tissue. If proven then this study
is to raise awareness of the effects of plastic pollution in our community and how
this can be dangerous in our place.
Sonjaco, 2019 - 1 | P a g e
, THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem
This study will seek to collect information of microplastic occurrence in the three
selected species of marine bivalves.
Objective of the Study
The study aims to determine:
1. The kinds and number of microplastics found in three selected bivalve
species.
2. The kinds and number of microplastics found in the water where the
specimens were collected.
Statement of the Hypothesis
Bivalves
H0: There are no microplastics in the selected bivalves from Bais City
Market.
H1: There are microplastics found in the selected bivalves from Bais City
Market.
Water samples
H0: There are no microplastics in the water samples in selected sites in
Bais bay.
H1: There are microplastics found in the water samples in selected sites in
Bais bay.
Sonjaco, 2019 - 2 | P a g e
Bais City Market
Undergraduate Thesis Submitted by
AL PRINCE B. SONJACO
In partial fulfillment of the degree of
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY
of the
Biology Department
Silliman University, Dumaguete City
Philippine 6200
October 2019
,Table of Contents
Approval Sheet …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. i
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii
List of Figures ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. iv
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. v
CHAPTER I ............................................................................................................... 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE .................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
THE PROBLEM ...................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER II ............................................................................................................. 4
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .......................................................................... 4
Microplastics .......................................................................................................................... 4
Microplastics in the environment ....................................................................................... 5
Effects of microplastics to organisms ................................................................................ 6
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY .................................................................. 9
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY.................................................................. 10
CHAPTER III ......................................................................................................... 11
MATERIALS AND METHODS .......................................................................................11
Preliminary study ................................................................................................................ 11
Collection of samples ......................................................................................................... 12
Laboratory work ................................................................................................................. 13
Chemical digestion ............................................................................................................. 15
Analysis of data .................................................................................................................. 16
Species Description ............................................................................................................ 16
Study Site ............................................................................................................................ 18
Data Sampling .................................................................................................................... 19
Statistical Analysis .............................................................................................................. 19
Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................................ 19
Chapter IV ............................................................................................................. 20
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................20
RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 20
DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................................... 27
Chapter V ............................................................................................................... 28
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................28
CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 28
RECOMMENDATION ........................................................................................................... 28
LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 29
, CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
People nowadays use plastics in their everyday lives, from water bottles to
household items and containers for their groceries. Although plastics are very
cheap and somewhat practical to use, it may have a huge effect in our
environment. Especially for marine and land animals, globally more than 330
metric tons of plastics is produced each year, leaving potential sources of
microplastics pollution all around us (Tutton et al., 2018).
Microplastics are classified as any type of plastic fragment less than 5mm in
length. (Exeter University, 2014) Microplastics are small, barely visible pieces of
plastics that enter and pollute the environment and plastics can be easily
ingested in marine animals which are very dangerous for their health and may
lead to their death. More and more articles are published about plastic ingestion
of animals leading to their deaths and microplastics found in food for human
consumption like in salts (Yang et al., 2015). The researcher would like to study
about occurrence of microplastics in bivalves. This study wants to find out if
there are microplastic contamination in their soft tissue. If proven then this study
is to raise awareness of the effects of plastic pollution in our community and how
this can be dangerous in our place.
Sonjaco, 2019 - 1 | P a g e
, THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem
This study will seek to collect information of microplastic occurrence in the three
selected species of marine bivalves.
Objective of the Study
The study aims to determine:
1. The kinds and number of microplastics found in three selected bivalve
species.
2. The kinds and number of microplastics found in the water where the
specimens were collected.
Statement of the Hypothesis
Bivalves
H0: There are no microplastics in the selected bivalves from Bais City
Market.
H1: There are microplastics found in the selected bivalves from Bais City
Market.
Water samples
H0: There are no microplastics in the water samples in selected sites in
Bais bay.
H1: There are microplastics found in the water samples in selected sites in
Bais bay.
Sonjaco, 2019 - 2 | P a g e
