Spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in true frogs (Ranidae:Pelophylax) populations from Türkiye.

Microplastics (MPs), which are of increasing concern in almost all ecosystems, continue to be an environmental threat. In the present study, the presence of MPs is investigated by using the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) obtained from the true frog individuals sampled in the past years. The sample consists of a total of 146 individuals obtained from various regions of Türkiye. The results show that MPs were found in 87 adult frog individuals. The most predominant shape of MPs found was fiber, with a predominance of transparent color, and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) was also the most abundant microplastic material. The highest amount of MPs among adult frog populations were found in the Denizli province. The size of MPs ranged between a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 3770 µm. In addition, no relationship was found between the body length and weight of the frogs and the sizes of MPs. Historically, most MPs were found in samples from 1990 and the highest content in terms of both color and material was detected in 1990. MPs were detected in almost all the years studied, but microplastic abundance varied from year to year. These results can be explained by the number of samples, habitat, and feeding behavior of adult frogs.

Plastic occurrence in fish caught in the highly industrialized Gulf of Izmit (Eastern Sea of Marmara, Türkiye).

Occurrence of micro- (<5 mm) and mesoplastics (5-25 mm) in twelve fish species caught off Gulf of Izmit in the Sea of Marmara was investigated. Plastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracks of all the analysed species: Trachurus mediterraneus, Chelon auratus, Merlangius merlangus, Mullus barbatus, Symphodus cinereus, Gobius niger, Chelidonichthys lastoviza, Chelidonichthys lucerna, Trachinus draco, Scorpaena porcus, Scorpaena porcus, Pegusa lascaris, Platichthys flesus. From a total of 374 individuals examined plastics were found in 147 individuals (39%). The average plastic ingestion was 1.14 ± 1.03 MP. fish-1 (considering all the analysed fish) and 1.77 ± 0.95 MP. fish-1 (considering only the fish with plastic). Fibres were the primary plastic types found in GITs (74%), followed by films (18%) and fragments (7%), no foams and microbeads were found. A total of ten different colours of plastics were found with blue (62%) being the most common colour. Length of plastics ranged from 0.13 to 11.76 mm with an average of 1.82 ± 1.59 mm. A total of 95.5% of plastics were microplastics, and 4.5% as mesoplastics. The mean frequency of plastic occurrence was higher in pelagic fish species (42%), followed by demersal (38%) and bentho-pelagic species (10%). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that 75% of polymers were synthetic with polyethylene terephthalate being the most common polymer. Our results indicated that carnivore species with a preference for fish and decapods were the highest impacted trophic group in the area. Fish species in the Gulf of Izmit are contaminated with plastics, representing a potential risk to ecosystem and human health. Further research is needed to understand the effects of plastic ingestion on biota and possible pathways. Results of this study also provide baseline data for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 10 in the Sea of Marmara.

Nano-sized and microporous palladium catalyst supported on modified chitosan/cigarette butt composite for treatment of environmental contaminants.

This study reports a versatile process for the fabrication of a microporous heterogeneous palladium nanocatalyst on a novel spherical, biodegradable, and chemically/physically resistant catalyst support consisting of chitosan (CS) and cigarette waste-derived activated carbon (CAC). The physicochemical properties of the microporous Pd-CS-CAC nanocatalyst developed were successfully determined by FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, BET, and EDS techniques. TEM studies showed that the average particle size of the synthesized Pd NPs was about 30 nm. The catalytic prowess of microporous Pd-CS-CAC was evaluated in the reduction/decolorization of various nitroarenes (2-nitroaniline (2-NA), 4-nitroaniline (4-NA), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4-NPD)) and organic dyes (methyl red (MR), methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), congo red (CR), and rhodamine B (RhB)) in an aqueous medium in the presence of NaBH4 as the reducing agent at room temperature. The catalytic activities were studied by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy of the supernatant at regular time intervals. The short reaction times, mild reaction conditions, high efficiency (100% conversion), easy separation, and excellent chemical stability of the catalyst due to its heterogeneity and reusability are the advantages of this method. The results of the tests showed that reduction/decolorization reactions were successfully carried out within 10-140 s due to the good catalytic ability of Pd-CS-CAC. Moreover, Pd-CS-CAC was reused for 5 consecutive times with no loss of the initial shape, size, and morphology, confirming that it was a sustainable and robust nanocatalyst.

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.

Characterization of microplastic pollution in tadpoles living in small water-bodies from Rize, the northeast of Turkey.

Microplastic pollution is a growing problem for Turkey and other countries, but most studies focus on the pollution in oceans and seas. To understand the relationship between microplastics, fresh water, and terrestrial environment, we examined Pelophylax ridibundus and Rana macrocnemis tadpoles that can inhabit a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, ecoregions and elevations, and that are members of Ranidae family. We characterized microplastics (MPs) in sediments, surface water, and tadpoles from the Rize province in northeastern of Turkey. The content of MPs in sediments, surface water, and tadpoles, ranged 64.17-472.1 items/kg, 1-13 items/L and 302.62-306.69 items/g, respectively. In sediment samples, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the dominant pollutants; whereas, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were found in surface water. In tadpoles, PET, nylon, and polyacrylic were the dominant MPs.

A New Fluorescent "Turn-Off" Coumarin-Based Chemosensor: Synthesis, Structure and Cu-Selective Fluorescent Sensing in Water Samples.

We report the synthesis and characterization two coumarin-based fluorescence probes, N'-{[7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl]carbonyl}pyridine-3-carbohydrazide (3) and N'-benzoyl-7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbohydrazide (4), proposed as a novel fluorescent chemosensor. The two probes designed showed an instant turn-off fluorescence response to Cu2+ over other metal ions in ethanol-water mixture based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). It was found that pyridine-analogue coumarin is highly selective and sensitive sensor for Cu2+. The 3 sensor coordinates Cu2+ in 1:1 stoichiometry with a binding constant, Ka = 5.22 M-1 and the detection limit was calculated 1.97 × 10-9 M.

Experimental and computational studies on 4-[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methoxy]phthalonitrile and synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of its novel phthalocyanine magnesium(II) and tin(II) metal complexes.

The molecular structure of the substituted phthalonitrile was analyzed crystallographically and compared with optimized geometric structure. The structural properties of the compound such as energy, vibrational frequency, ground state transitions, (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts, NBO analysis and hyperpolarizability were computed by DFT (Density Functional Theory) method and compared with experimental results. The novel Mg(II) and Sn(II) phthalocyanines synthesized from the substituted phthalonitrile and their aggregation behaviors were investigated in different solvents and at different concentrations in DMSO.

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of homo-binuclear, alkoxo bridged homo- and hetero-tetranuclear metal complexes of a bis-N2O4 Schiff base ligand derived from ethanolamine and macroacyclic tetranaphthaldehyde.

Three new homo-binuclear Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) complexes (2-4), homo-tetranuclear Cu(II) complex (5), and hetero-tetranuclear Cu(II)-Ni(II) complex (6) of a macroacyclic potentially bis-hexadentate N2O4 Schiff base have been synthesized. The imino-alcohol ligand, H4L was obtained by the condensation of ethanolamine with 2,2'-[2,3-bis(1-formyl-2-naphthyloxymethyl)-but-2-ene-1,4-diyldioxy]bis(naphthalene-1-carbaldehyde). The structures of both the Schiff base and its complexes have been proposed by elemental analyses, spectroscopic data i.e. IR, 1H and 13C NMR, UV-vis, electrospray ionisation mass spectra, molar conductivities and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The ligand has two similar compartments to bind first primary two metal ions, and acts bi- or tetra-negative, bis-tetradentate forming five membered chelate ring. However, secondary two metal ions (either Cu2+ or Ni2+) are ligated with dianionic oxygen atoms of the alcohol groups and are linked to the 1,10-phenanthroline-nitrogen atoms in the tetranuclear complexes (5 and 6).

Synthesis, characterization and properties of tetra((1-hydroxyimino-methylnaphthalen-2-yloxy)methyl)ethene and its homo-dinuclear metal complexes: a combined experimental and theoretical investigation.

Tetra((1-hydroxyiminomethylnaphthalen-2-yloxy)methyl)ethene (THIMNYOME), H(4)L, was synthesized by the agents of 2-hydroxy-1-naphtaldehyde, tetra(bromomethyl)ethene and hydroxylamine hydrochloride in two steps. Characterization of THIMNYOME and its dinuclear complexes was made by elemental analyses, IR, (1)H- and (13)C NMR, UV-vis, electrospray ionisation mass spectra, molar conductivities and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In the light of these results, it was suggested that the ligand coordinate to each metal atom by the two ether oxygen, two nitrogen atoms of oxime imine (CN) and an axial oxygen of perchlorate to form pseudo square-pyramidal complexes with Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). Molar conductivity measurements reveal that all the complexes are non-electrolytes. In addition, the full geometric optimization of the tetraoxime ligand (4) has been made by the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level in order to establish a stable conformation. Additionally, all the complex structures have been studied in the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level. NBO charge distribution and the characteristics of frontier molecular orbitals of these complexes have also been investigated in order to see the electrons movement between ligand and metal atom in the same level.