Tracking the microplastic accumulation from past to present in the freshwater ecosystems: A case study in Susurluk Basin, Turkey. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Almas, Fatma Feisal; Bezirci, Gizem; Çağan, Ali Serhan; Gökdağ, Kerem; Çırak, Tamer; Başaran Kankılıç, Gökben; Paçal, Elif; Tavşanoğlu, Ülkü Nihan
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 303:Part 2(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Emergent contaminant -- Paleolimnology -- Ramsar site -- Lake uluabat -- Kocaçay delta; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems has become a global issue in recent years due to its presence everywhere around the world. Although several studies have explored the impact of the accumulation of those small particles in marine environments, comparisons of freshwater systems with marine environments are scarce. In the current study, due to the lack of long-term data on microplastic pollution, we used paleolimnological approaches to acquire the missing information regarding this hot topic. Two short cores were taken from Bursa province in Turkey, which is the center of industrial and agricultural production with many different sectors such as textile and manufacturing. The first core sample was taken from a relatively pristine environment, Lake Uluabat, and the second one was taken from a delta area where all the discharge coming from the basin flowed through to the Marmara Sea. The sediment core from the lake was dated back to the 1960's and the majority of the sample was dominated by fibers. Despite there being no uniform distribution pattern, the number of the microplastics showed decreasing trend after the lake became a Ramsar site. Due to the continuous mixing in the sampling area, there were obstacles via the dating of the Delta core. Nevertheless, the data showed that a high number and variety of microplastics have accumulated over the last decade in the province. This can be interpreted as microplastic pollution reaching the sea directly from the basin. These findings revealed that a plastic chronostratigraphy would give important temporal data regarding the microplastic accumulation in aquatic ecosystems. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Microplastics are a useful tool for paleolimnological studies revealing historical flux. Fibers were the dominant microplastic particles from the core samples. Rivers play an important role in transporting the microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. Conservation status of a freshwater system reduces the microplastic contamination.