Assessment of microplastic pollution in eleven commercial fish species in the Gulf of Izmir (Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean).

With global plastic production reaching 400 million tons in 2022, concerns about plastic pollution in the seas are increasing day by day. Therefore we focused on the abundance, characteristics, and chemical composition of potential anthropogenic origin MPs within the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of 11 commercial fish species in the Gulf of Izmir, an area heavily impacted by human activities. Within the scope of the study, 152 fish were sampled, and microplastics were found in 64 fish. In total, 77 MPs were identified based on ATR-FTIR analysis. Significant differences were found between species regarding MP abundance. Among the species, Scomber scombrus showed the highest MP ingestion. The MP abundance in the GIT of fish decreases from surface to deeper waters. There were also significant differences (p < 0.05) in MP abundance between pelagic and demersal fish species. Results showed that 50.6 % of MPs were fragments, and 49.4 % were fibers. The most common color was black. Seven polymer types were identified, and PE was the most common. The size of the identified MPs ranged from 101 to 4901 µm, and the average value was 715.83 ± 860.66 µm. This study sheds light on the MP contamination within commercial fish species in the Gulf of Izmir and emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced marine ecosystem conservation strategies. Our findings can serve as a basis for future studies by providing essential baseline data for implementing necessary policies and regulations.

Long-term investigation of microplastic abundance in Squalius species in Turkish inland waters.

Examining the enduring alterations in microplastic (MP) concentrations within fish in inland waters is of utmost importance in understanding the historical trajectory of plastic waste and formulating consequential predictions regarding upcoming pollution levels. This study includes the collection of fish samples from 22 different river basins in Türkiye and all Squalius species distributed in Türkiye, covering the years 2004-2018, and examined the presence of MP in museum specimens' gastrointestinal tracts (GITs). 331 specimens were examined, and microplastic was observed in 20.8% (69). A mean value of 0.27 ± 0.19 MP per individual was observed, resulting in a cumulative score of 91 MP. Most observed MPs were composed of fiber, representing 79.1% of the total. The polymer types identified were mostly polyethylene (PE) at 38.5% and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at 29.7%. The black color was prominent among MPs, and MP length ranged between 101 and 4963 µm. The analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the mean MP values across different years and basins. There is no substantial correlation between the abundance of MP and the sizes of fish, population density, or quantities of plastic production. The data indicate that MP has persistently acted as a contaminant in freshwater ecosystems over an extended period. It is projected that the laundering of synthetic textiles serves as the primary contributor to MP contamination in freshwater bodies. Our results offer significant baseline data on the pervasive issue of MP pollution in the freshwater environment. These findings enable us to gain profound insights into the current state of MP contamination in fish residing in lotic systems while empowering us to make accurate predictions about its future trajectory.

Monthly microplastics change in European anchovy's (Engraulis encrasicolus) gastrointestinal tract in the Black Sea.

To contribute to a better understanding of the regional dynamics of MP pollution and its potential effects on the anchovy population and human health, here we assessed the presence and characterization of microplastics (MPs) in European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), which is the most caught/consumed species in the Black Sea and is of vital importance to the ecosystem. A total of 360 individuals (30 per month) were sampled from the eastern Black Sea continental shelf all year round (monthly from September 20 to Aug 21). We extracted and digested the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of the samples with H2O2 and characterized the MPs in the GITs by stereomicroscope and ATR-FTIR. MPs varied between 0 and 0.43 MP individual-1. The morphological structure of MPs was composed of 51 % fiber > fragment (32.7 %) > film (12.2 %) > foam (4.1 %) and polymer types as PP (42.9 %) and PE (22.4 %). In the prevalence of MP colors, black (26.5 %) > white (24.5 %) > red (22.5 %) was observed. The mean MP size was 735.32 ± 836.62 µm, with no significant correlation between the abundance and size of ingested MPs and anchovy height/weight and GIT weight. We determined that MP abundance showed substantial differences between the fishing season (0.18 ± 0.05 MP ind-1) and the banned season (0.05 ± 0.03 MP ind-1). It is essential to develop effective waste management strategies to protect the vulnerable marine ecosystems of the Black Sea and ensure sustainable exploitation of living resources in this region. These strategies should be accompanied by robust monitoring and enforcement measures to guarantee their effectiveness and compliance.

The broad-scale microplastic distribution in surface water and sediments along Northeastern Mediterranean shoreline.

Plastics manufactured to fulfil the unique demands of civilization accumulate in the sea due to their durability. Microplastics (MP) pose a greater threat than macroplastics as they can easily enter the aquatic environment and be hard to detect. MPs potentially impact several components of the marine life and food chain. This study determined MP distribution and characterization by collecting sediment from 47 different stations and surface seawater (SSW) from 29 stations in 2019 along the Turkish coast of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Potential MP particles were stained with Nile-Red and verified using ATR-FTIR. While MP abundance in the sediment ranged between 118 ± 97 and 1688 ± 746 MPs kg-1, it varied between 0.18 ± 0.10 MPs m-3 and 2.21 ± 1.75 MPs m-3 in SSW. The MP abundance showed significant spatial variation (p < 0.05). The polymer type in the samples was determined by ATR-FTIR. In both water and sediments, polyethylene was the most common MP type (>59 %), while fragment was the most common MP form (>57.6 %), and >65 % of overall MPs were <1500 µm. The spatial pattern of MPs in the sediments and SSW was affected by the population, the magnitude of the tourism sector, the rim current, and circulation. The monitoring data presented here can provide a remarkable projection of the current trend and form a basis for future MP pollution prevention.

Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish species from the southern Black Sea coast.

Microplastic (MP) contamination is a serious threat to today's marine life. Therefore, this study investigates MP ingestion in three commercial fish species (European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, whiting Merlangius merlangus, and red mullet Mullus barbatus) from the Turkish coast of the Black Sea. Ninety-five MPs were detected in all examined fish (371). Fiber forms were detected in the majority of cases based on the MP morphology. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most dominant polymer type. The mean of ingested MPs was found as 0.15 ±â€¯0.04, 0.28 ±â€¯0.06, 0.40 ±â€¯0.07 in anchovy, whiting and red mullet, respectively. The size of the MPs ranged from 118 µm and 4854 µm. The MP waste was detected in each species, and the highest MP amount was determined in the red mullet, which was significantly higher than European anchovy. The present study's data might be a baseline on the ecological risk assessment of MPs in the fish and future experimental studies on the fish species living in the Black Sea.

The microplastic pattern of wild-caught Mediterranean mussels from the Marmara Sea.

The Sea of Marmara suffers from pollutants that come from municipal/industrial discharges and the Black Sea. Microplastic (MP)s, a rising environmental concern with consequences for seafood safety, are one of these contaminants. Thus, the abundance and feature of MPs in wild populations of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from 20 sites along the sea of Marmara coastlines were analyzed herein. In total, 812 MPs were detected in 412 mussels. The MPs ranged from 0.30 to 7.53 MP individual-1 and 0.11 to 4.58 MP g-1 fresh weight. The most common shape of the MPs detected was fiber (81.16%), the majority of which were smaller than 1 mm. Polymer types were verified by FTIR, and 14 different polymers have been identified; the dominant was polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 66.38%). When one is served by a mussel meal weekly, the risk statistics project that the exposure will be 252 MPs per portion. Yet, the risk associated with the MP-contaminated mussel consumption is insignificant according to hypothetical calculations using a chemical additive (bisphenol A).

Microplastic contamination and characteristics spatially vary in the southern Black Sea beach sediment and sea surface water.

In this study, the abundance, and characteristics of the microplastics on the southern coast of the Black Sea were assessed. More than 70% of the detected microplastics were smaller than 2.5 mm and mostly consisted of fibers and fragments. The average microplastic abundance in the beach sediment and seawater were 64.06 ± 8.95 particles/kg and 18.68 ± 3.01 particles/m3, respectively. The western coast of the study area (Marmara region) was the most polluted area, and a spatially significant difference was determined in terms of abundance. The composition in the beach sediment (particles/kg) was dominated by styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAC) (40.53%), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (38.75%), and polyethylene (PE) (6.91%), whereas the seawater (particles/m3) was dominated by PET (57.26%), PE (13.52%), and polypropylene PP (11.24%). The results of our study can be a baseline for environmental modeling studies and experimental studies on the marine organisms inhabiting the Black Sea.

Characteristics and temporal trends of microplastics in the coastal area in the Southern Black Sea over the past decade.

Time-series datasets showing the gradual conformational change in the status and characteristics of microplastics (MP) in marine waters are needed to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems. In this study, the abundance, spatiotemporal distribution, polymer composition, size, and shapes of the MP in the seawater sampled from 0.5 (station-1), 2.5 (station-2), and 5 (station-3) miles off the coast of the southeastern Black Sea between 2009 and 2020 were investigated. The abundance of the MP ranged from 0.181 to 0.944 m-3. The amounts of MP in the stations, from the greatest to the smallest, were 0.65 MP m-3 (2), 0.45 MP m-3 (1), 0.29 MP m-3 (3). Thirteen types of polymers were detected by FTIR, the most abundant types of which were polyethylene (44.9%) and polyethylene terephthalate (25.3%). Sizes of MP ranged from 118 to 4998 µm, 50% being smaller than 2000 µm. The most dominant shape of the MPs was fragments (56.3%). Abundance did not show significant spatiotemporal changes. Periodical data presented herein may represent a remarkable projection and create a baseline for the ecosystem's future functioning and pollution research in the Black Sea.

Microplastic pollution profile of Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected along the Turkish coasts.

Plastics profoundly threatens ecological balance in marine ecosystems across the globe in the current era of industrialization. Microplastics (MP), in particular, can pose risks reaching humans through the food web via various marine organisms. Among these organisms, since they are consumed as a whole, mussels are vital vectors of MP transfer during human consumption. Hence, here we analyzed MP pollution in Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) sampled from 23 different locations all along the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, and the Aegean Sea. After digestion of the mussels with H2O2, the micro-particles were determined under a stereomicroscope and characterized by confirming with FTIR analyses. 48% of the sampled mussels were found to have MPs. The average MP abundance was 0.69 item/mussel and 0.23 item/g fresh weight (fw) of soft tissue. Morphology was ordered as follows: fragments (67.6%)> fibers (28.4%)> films (4.05%). The dominant size of MPs was detected less than 0.5 mm (26.58%). 12 different polymers have been identified by FTIR and PET (32.9%), PP (28.4%), and PE (19.4%) were found to constitute 80% of the total MPs. The annual average exposure amount for mussel consumers in Turkey was estimated as 1918 MPs item/per year. Even though international organizations such as FAO, JECFA, or EU have not declared permissible limits, our data may inform human health uptake of MP ingestion via mussels. This data might also serve as a reference data-set for further MP monitoring research in Turkish and European Seas.

Marine debris in bottom trawl catches and their effects on the selectivity grids in the north eastern Mediterranean.

In this study composition of marine debris and their blocking potential on the selectivity grid systems deployed on demersal trawls were investigated in the north eastern Mediterranean. For this, a total of 132 hauls were examined in two fishing season between 20 September 2010 and 19 February 2012. Results showed that plastic items were the most abundant debris (73% in terms of weight) and they were followed by metals (10%). Because of plastics and packing debris, it is highly probable that grids may have been blocked in 85% of trawl hauls. The bathymetric and geographical variability in the quantity of debris were evaluated, and concluded that particularly in some areas where direction of currents and bottom topography favor deposition, such devices may easily be rendered ineffective by the plastics and packing debris in particular. To solve this problem, several solution proposals are submitted.