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Mediterranean dirty edge: High level of meso and macroplastics pollution on the Turkish coast.
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Thirteen coastal sites in Iskenderun Bay on Turkey's northeastern Mediterranean coast were surveyed for meso and macroplastic litter, finding high levels of plastic pollution at all locations. The study characterizes the types and distribution of coastal plastic debris and highlights the Mediterranean's "dirty edge" as a repository for land-derived plastic waste.
It has become apparent that the coastal zones of aquatic environments are significantly affected by plastics pollution. The accumulation of marine plastic litter on beaches is an important problem due to their significant environmental impacts. In this study, 13 coastal areas in Iskenderun Bay (NE Levantine coast of Turkey) were sampled in May 2018 to investigate meso and macroplastic (0.5-123.4 cm) pollution. A total of 1424 meso and macroplastic items in five categories (filament, film, foam, fragments, and pellets) were collected. The average meso and macroplastic concentration was 12.2 ± 3.5 pcs m (12.3 ± 3.5 g m) and the mean size for all stations was 3.7 ± 0.16 cm. The highest meso and macroplastic concentration was found in the Dörtyol location (46.2 ± 7.6 pcs m) and the lowest concentration was found in the Y. Lagün location (2.3 ± 0.2 pcs m). Plastics were separated into 14 different groups based on their origins. The most dominant type was hard plastics (broken, fragmented, and deformed) with 59.8% and greenhouse coverage films with 11%. Our results shows that regardless their source plastics fluxes at beaches from various pathways. Results of this study provide useful information for designing monitoring strategies and setting management goals.
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Researchers conducted the first microplastic survey of the northeastern Levantine coast of Turkey in Iskenderun and Mersin Bays, measuring an average of 0.376 items/m² at the sea surface, with the highest concentrations near a river mouth, at levels comparable to other Mediterranean regions.
High level of micro-plastic pollution in the Iskenderun Bay NE Levantine coast of Turkey
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Extremely high concentrations of microplastics were found in surface waters of Iskenderun Bay, Turkey—over 1 million particles per square kilometer—among the highest recorded in the Mediterranean. The bay's location near heavily industrialized and populated areas explains the severe contamination.
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Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in surface water and sediments along 47 stations of the Turkish northeastern Mediterranean coast, finding widespread contamination with fibers and fragments detected via Nile Red staining, and identifying hotspots linked to coastal urbanization and river inputs.
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Researchers conducted the first microplastic pollution survey along the Datca Peninsula on the southern Aegean coast of Turkey, finding contamination in sandy beach sediments at the intersection of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.
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Sampling surface water and sediments at ten stations in Izmir Bay (eastern Aegean Sea) revealed widespread MP pollution, with concentrations up to 8 million particles per km² of surface water, dominated by plastic fragments. The study fills a gap in Mediterranean MP data and highlights the bay's vulnerability to contamination from nearby rivers, ports, and maritime traffic.
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