Seasonal Distribution, Characterization, Indexing and Risk Assessment of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Coastal Sediments: a Case Study from Istanbul

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NaPs) in coastal regions, particularly in sediments, have gained increasing attention. However, in Türkiye, research on sediment pollution by MPs and NaPs is still limited. To fill this knowledge gap, the distribution, composition, and ecological impact of MPs and NaPs were investigated for the first time in the literature over a one-year period at three sampling stations on the south coast of Istanbul. The average total particle concentration was 1364.17 ± 600.51 particles.kg−1 dw sediment. Most of the MPs detected in the sediments were in the form of fibers with a size of 100–250 µm and were black and transparent. The study found that NaPs accounted for only 17%, 13.8% and 11.8% of the particles collected at stations S1, S2 and S3, respectively. According to the FTIR results, polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate were the most abundant compared to polypropylene, polyamide and other polymers. The hazard index was classified as level V with a value of 17,261. This classification emphasizes the urgent need for further comprehensive studies on the risk assessment of MPs and NaPs. Scanning electron microscopy results showed microorganisms on the particle surface, indicating the MP-associated passing-through mechanism. Moreover, energy dispersive spectroscopy detected several unexpected elements such as Nb, Sr, Mo, Bi, Ta and Rn on MP and NaP surfaces. The results indicate that MP and NaP pollution in Istanbul’s coastal sediments may pose a major risk to the environment through the leaching of inherent/adsorbed elements and therefore requires future investigation.