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Spatiotemporal distribution of microplastics in true frogs (Ranidae:Pelophylax) populations from Türkiye
Summary
Researchers examined preserved frog stomach contents from 146 true frogs collected across Turkey and found microplastics in nearly 60% of individuals, with plastic fibers being the most common form. The findings show that frogs — which live both in water and on land — are useful indicators of microplastic contamination across multiple ecosystems, and that exposure has been occurring for decades.
Microplastics (MPs), which are of increasing concern in almost all ecosystems, continue to be an environmental threat. In the present study, the presence of MPs is investigated by using the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) obtained from the true frog individuals sampled in the past years. The sample consists of a total of 146 individuals obtained from various regions of Türkiye. The results show that MPs were found in 87 adult frog individuals. The most predominant shape of MPs found was fiber, with a predominance of transparent color, and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) was also the most abundant microplastic material. The highest amount of MPs among adult frog populations were found in the Denizli province. The size of MPs ranged between a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 3770 μm. In addition, no relationship was found between the body length and weight of the frogs and the sizes of MPs. Historically, most MPs were found in samples from 1990 and the highest content in terms of both color and material was detected in 1990. MPs were detected in almost all the years studied, but microplastic abundance varied from year to year. These results can be explained by the number of samples, habitat, and feeding behavior of adult frogs.