Plastic is one of the main pollutant sources that are difficult to decompose and then carried into the ocean and fragmented into smaller parts (microplastics) due to UV radiation and water currents. Their small size means that microplastics are often ingested by aquatic organisms, such as fish. This research aimed to determine the presence, abundance, and types of microplastics in the digestive tract of four dominant fishes landed at Lengkong Fish Auction Point, Cilacap, Central Java, i.e. threadfin ( Eleutheronema tetradactylum), mackerel ( Rastrelliger sp.), threadfin bream ( Nemipterus japonicus), and hairtail ( Trichiurus lepturus). We found microplastics in the digestive tract of four selected fishes with a frequency of occurrence of 100%. The concentration of microplastics in fish digestive tracts is relatively high, with a value range of 12 ±2.86 to 28.33 ±8.11 particles∙ind.^-1. Microplastics were found in films, fibres, fragments, and granule shape types with various colours: brown, purple, blue, black, green, transparent, and yellow. The polymers found were polystyrene (PS), nylon, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The present study provides baseline data for microplastics contamination in commercial fish species landed at Lengkong Fish Auction Point, Cilacap, Central Java, Indonesia. The fact that we discovered PU, the most harmful polymer, piques our attention.

Heavy metals are a crucial group of chemicals extensively used in materials to meet human needs, eventually leading to contamination of aquatic ecosystems and accumulation in organism’s tissues. Heavy metals enter the aquatic ecosystem from various sources. Those metals that pollute aquatic waters are deposited in sediments, remain dissolved in water or accumulate in the food web of aquatic organisms. Benthic biota is believed to accumulate the highest levels of these metals, while other aquatic animals, such as fish, shrimp, and macroalgae, serve as significant sources of heavy metals intake through food and the environmental exposure. Ina study conducted in and around the east Java, Indonesia, the concentration of heavy metals in commercially important fish species, shellfish, and macroalgae were evaluated using an inductive couple plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). This study is very important because fishery resources are not only vital for exports but also serve as a primary source of essential food for local communities. The results showed that heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd, and Hg) in samples were 12.3 mg∙dm ^–3, 0.171 mg∙dm ^–3, and undetectable, respectively. This study showed that different metals were present in the samples at different levels, all of which fell within the maximum residual levels set by the EU and USFDA. The results of an analysis of food safety based on the Hazard Index showed values below 1 point, indicating that fishery products (fish, shrimp, and macroalgae) from the East Java Province are generally safe for human consumption.