Analisis Kontribusi Aktivitas Rumah Tangga terhadap Karakteristik, Kelimpahan, dan Penyisihan Mikroplastik di Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah Domestik Kawasan Berbah

Lucky Oktavian Prakoso, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andhika Puspito Nugroho, S.Si., M.Si.; Dr. Rika Harini, S.Si., MP.

2026 | Tesis | S2 Ilmu Lingkungan

Polusi mikroplastik (MPs) dari air limbah domestik telah menjadi permasalahan lingkungan yang semakin mendesak, namun dinamika MPs dalam sistem pengolahan air limbah domestik di negara berkembang beriklim tropis masih belum dipahami secara komprehensif. Penelitian ini mengkaji kontribusi aktivitas rumah tangga terhadap karakteristik, kelimpahan, dan penyisihan mikroplastik di Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah Domestik (IPALD) Berbah, Kabupaten Sleman, Indonesia. Pendekatan metodologis penelitian mengintegrasikan aspek sosial-perilaku dan aspek teknologi pengolahan limbah. Niat rumah tangga untuk mengurangi aktivitas penghasil MPs dievaluasi melalui survei terhadap responden yang dianalisis menggunakan Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) melalui Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) pada SmartPLS. Sementara itu, aspek tekonologi pengolahan limbah mencakup kuantifikasi konsentrasi dan karakterisasi MPs pada seluruh unit pengolahan IPAL, termasuk badan air penerima. Morfologi mikroplastik dianalisis menggunakan mikroskop stereo, sedangkan komposisi polimer diidentifikasi melalui FTIR spectroscopy. Influen mengandung MPs dengan konsentrasi rata-rata sebesar 30,57 ± 8,66 partikel/L yang didominasi oleh bentuk serat, fragmen, dan film, yang berasal dari pencucian tekstil sintetis dan penggunaan kemasan sachet. Analisis FTIR mengonfirmasi keberadaan PET dan PP pada influen, sedangkan pada efluen hanya PET yang terdeteksi, mengindikasikan bahwa serat PET memiliki resistensi yang lebih tinggi terhadap proses penyisihan karena karakteristik morfologinya. Secara keseluruhan, IPALD Berbah mencapai efisiensi penyisihan MPs sebesar 97,81%, dengan unit ABR memberikan kontribusi penyisihan tertinggi (91,01%), sementara kolam aerasi dan constructed wetland menunjukkan adanya efek resuspensi. Pada aspek sosial-perilaku, attitude dan perceived behavioral control merupakan satu-satunya prediktor signifikan terhadap niat rumah tangga untuk mengurangi perilaku penghasil MPs, sedangkan subjective norm dan environmental concern tidak menunjukkan pengaruh yang signifikan. Temuan ini menunjukkan efektivitas sistem pengolahan air limbah biologis dalam menyisihkan MPs sekaligus mengungkap adanya value-action gap dalam perilaku pro-lingkungan rumah tangga. Kontribusi utama penelitian ini terletak pada integrasi data kinerja teknis pengolahan dengan determinan perilaku, sehingga menghasilkan kerangka yang holistik untuk merancang strategi mitigasi mikroplastik yang efektif dalam sistem sanitasi komunal negara berkembang di iklim tropis.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution from domestic wastewater has emerged as a pressing environmental concern, yet their dynamics within domestic wastewater treatment systems in developing tropical countries remain poorly understood. This study investigated the contribution of household activities to the characteristics, abundance, and removal of microplastics at the Berbah Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant (IPALD Berbah), Sleman Regency, Indonesia. The methodological approach integrated social-behavioral aspect with wastewater treatment technology aspect. Household intention to reduce MP-generating activities was assessed through a survey and analyzed using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS. Meanwhile, the wastewater treatment technology aspect involved quantifying MP concentrations and characterizing MPs across the WWTP treatment units, including the receiving river. Microplastic morphology was analyzed using stereo microscope, and polymer composition was identified through FTIR spectroscopy. The influent contained MPs at a mean concentration of 30.57 ± 8.66 particles/L, predominantly as fibers, fragments, and films, which were directly attributable to synthetic textile laundering and sachet packaging use. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of PET and PP in the influent, whereas only PET persisted in the effluent, indicating that PET fibers were more resistant to removal due to their morphology. Overall, IPALD Berbah achieved a total MP removal efficiency of 97.81%, with the ABR unit contributing the highest individual removal efficiency (91.01%), while the aeration pond and constructed wetland exhibited resuspension effects. On the behavioral dimension, attitude and perceived behavioral control were the only significant predictors of household intention to reduce MP-generating behaviors, whereas subjective norm and environmental concern showed no significant effects. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of biological wastewater treatment systems in removing MPs while simultaneously revealing a value–action gap in household pro-environmental behavior. The integration of technical treatment performance data with behavioral determinants constitutes the key contribution of this research, offering a holistic framework for designing more effective microplastic mitigation strategies in communal sanitation systems across tropical developing regions.

Kata Kunci : FTIR spectroscopy, Identifikasi polimer, Pengolahan air limbah secara biologis, PLS-SEM, Theory of Planned Behavior