Comprehensive analysis of microplastics in water, sediment and fish from a large recreational lake

While global attention has primarily focused on microplastics (MPs) in marine ecosystems, the issue of MP pollution in recreational lakes has received relatively little attention. In this study, the occurrence, spatial and seasonal distribution and characteristics of microplastics (MPs) were investigated for the first time in Lake Hazar (Türkiye), an important recreational lake. Water, sediment and fish (Capoeta umbla) were sampled from the lake in the winter and summer of 2020. Thereafter, the MPs were extracted from the samples using the density separation method. Their abundance, shape, color, and size were determined microscopically, while the polymer types were analyzed using ATR-FTIR. The MPs were detected in all surface water and sediment samples, while they were detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of 28 (35 %) out of 80 fish samples. The abundance of MPs was 74-1091 items/m for the surface water, 88-213 items/kg (ww) for sediments and 0-5 items/fish for C. umbla, respectively. The MP concentrations in water samples from the shore sites were found to be significantly higher than those in limnetic sites (p < 0.05). The most common MP shapes, sizes and colors were fragments, <0.5 mm and white/transparent, respectively. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymer types, indicating that recreational activities and fishing activities may be the main sources of MPs in the lake. The Pollution Load Index results indicated that MP pollution in the lake's water and sediments was at a moderate level.