Biomonitoring of Yozgat Çamlık National Park’s Anthropogenic Microfiber Pollution: A Comprehensive Analysis of Lichen-Supported Air Quality Assessment and Microplastic Composition Insights

Abstract The use of bioindicator organisms such as lichens has been a longstanding field of study to demonstrate levels of environmental pollution, as they are sensitive to air pollution but can also withstand and live in polluted environments, making them ideal for assessing air pollution levels. This study aimed to measure the level of anthropogenic microfibres, a type of microplastic, in lichen samples collected from Yozgat Çamlık National Park (Turkey). In the Yozgat Çamlık National Park region, 3 groups have been formed, starting from the region where the people are most crowded, towards the far regions where fewer people set foot. A comparative study was carried out in terms of the type and number of anthropogenic microfibres in lichen samples taken from these regions. In order to take anthropogenic microfibres from lichen samples into the analysis environment, a wet peroxide oxidation was used, followed by passing the fibres through special filters. Rose Bengal staining method was used to separate the synthetic material from the organic material. Stereo microscope was used to determine their size and color. Anthropogenic microfibres ranging from 0.15 to 4.2 mm in length were found. The study revealed that blue microfibres was the most one in three regions. To identify the plastic type, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) with microscope property and micro-Raman spectrometer were conducted, and the obtained results were compared with literature studied and FTIR library to determine the plastic types. Based on the results, the most commonly found microplastics in the study area were Polyurethane (42%), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (25%), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (13%), respectively. The obtained all results reinforces the potential applicability of lichens as a reliable tool for biomonitoring atmospheric microfibres deposition. Consequently, the findings highlight the significance of using lichens as bioindicators to evaluate the levels of air pollution in a particular region and determine the effectiveness of pollution mitigation efforts.