Abundance, Distribution and Characteristics of Microplastics in Coastal Sediments of Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan

Introduction: Microplastic contamination in the environment is one of the main concerns nowadays because it may give bad impact to the ecosystem and endanger human health. Thus, this the main focus of this study is to investigate the quantity, distribution, and properties of microplastics discovered in the sediment along a 1 km section of Tok Bali Beach in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, Malaysia. Methods: Density separation, microscopy, hot needle testing, FTIR and SEM were used to evaluate the microplastic contamination in the sediment samples from ten sampling points. Results and Discussion: Total of 260 microplastic particles were found in the sediment samples. From the total particles found, fibers were the most prevalent (149), followed by films (84), filaments (18), and fragments (9). Sampling Point 2 (36 particles) had the highest concentration, probably due to industrial and fishing activity nearby, while Point 6 (13 particles), an area with little human habitation, had the lowest concentration. FTIR analysis showed that most of the particles were polyamide (nylon), indicating origins like fishing gear, textiles, and industrial waste while SEM revealed weathering characteristics such cracks and rough textures. Conclusion: It confirms the significant microplastic contamination along Tok Bali Beach with predominance of weathered polyamide fibers and films associated with industrial, textile and fishing activities. Further studies are needed to evaluate long-term environmental impacts and direct effective measures to mitigate these impacts.