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Microplastic Accumulation in Lake Van Sediment
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Researchers analysed sediment samples from Lake Van in eastern Turkey for the presence of LDPE, PP, PS, and PET microplastics, using sieve filtration, organic matter removal, and density separation to isolate particles from samples collected at three stations across four shoreline settlements. The study documented microplastic accumulation in lake sediments and characterised the types and distribution of microplastics present in this large inland water body.
Abstract The impact of microplastics on ecosystems and living organisms is an issue of increasing concern. In this study, sediment samples collected from 3 different stations in 4 settlements on the shore of Lake Van in October 2021 were analyzed for the presence of 4 different types of microplastics, namely LDPE, PP, PS, and PET. Methods such as sieve filtration, organic matter removal and density separation were used to isolate microplastics in the collected samples. After isolating microplastics from the samples, visible microplastics were detected and photographed in the relevant samples, bacterial density was measured with microbiological analysis, microplastic particles were measured with a sensitive balance, the color and shape of microplastics were examined with a stereomicroscope, and microplastic particles were identified with FTIR spectroscopy. The spectra obtained from the sediment samples were compared with reference peaks in KnowItAll and the Spectroscopy Online virtual library and PS was identified as the predominant polymer type. When microplastic was analysed, it was determined that the predominant microplastic form was white/transparent and the microplastic size was between 3 and 5 mm. As a result of microbiological analyses, the presence of Escherichia coli (6/2 100 cfu/ml) was detected in the water samples of Van1 and Erciş1 lakes, and the highest total coliform bacteria count was found in Erciş2 lake. In this study, information about the presence of microplastics in sediment, which is one of the elements of Lake Van aquatic ecosystem, was obtained.
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