MIRI: Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) has deepened its international research collaboration by hosting Indonesian marine scientist Dr Abdul Manan from Universitas Airlangga for a 10-day attachment focused on the escalating threat of microplastic pollution in Southeast Asian waters.
Under Universitas Airlangga’s World Class University (WCU) Fund Outbound Mobility Programme, Dr Manan spent Sept 16 to 26 at Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science, working closely with Professor Tony Hadibarata, one of the region’s leading environmental researchers.
Their joint research zeroes in on microplastic contamination in commercially important fish species from Surabaya, Indonesia, a city whose fisheries sustain thousands of livelihoods.
Samples were transported to Curtin Malaysia for laboratory testing to detect and measure microplastic particles embedded in fish tissues, an emerging concern with wide-ranging implications for food safety and marine health.
“Microplastics are a silent threat ,not just to marine ecosystems, but to food security and public health,” said Dr Manan.
“This collaboration enables us to tap into Curtin Malaysia’s advanced analytical facilities and exchange expertise in tackling one of the region’s most pressing environmental issues, he added.
Hadibarata underscored the global dimension of the problem.
“Microplastic pollution transcends borders. By sharing research capacity and data across nations, we can better map the scale of contamination and design more effective mitigation policies,” he said.
The research aims to establish a baseline dataset for microplastic pollution in Southeast Asia’s marine food chain, providing critical evidence to support policy reform and cross-border environmental monitoring.
Beyond scientific data, the project marks another stride in Curtin Malaysia’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for interdisciplinary environmental research.
It reflects the university’s commitment to advancing sustainability science and fostering collaborative solutions to complex ecological challenges.
“This partnership illustrates the power of regional cooperation. Environmental threats like microplastics demand collective scientific responses that cut across geography and discipline,” added Hadibarata.
