Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

First evaluation of microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Van Bay from Van Lake, Turkey

Researchers found microplastic pollution in surface waters of Van Bay, Turkey, at densities of 641,424 to 1,426,638 particles/km2, with fibers (40.5%), particles under 0.1 mm (52.3%), and polyethylene (60.2%) being most prevalent, and highest concentrations near river inputs from populated areas.

2022 Chemistry and Ecology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Turkish coastal lagoons: Unveiling the hidden threat to wetland ecosystems

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution in five coastal lagoons in northeastern Mediterranean Turkey, recovering over 15,500 microplastic particles from water and sediment samples. Water concentrations were significantly higher in November than in June, with fibers being the dominant type and polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester the most common polymers. The findings point to agricultural runoff, fishing gear, and mismanaged waste as significant pollution sources in these ecologically important wetland ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Pollution 9 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic Pollution in Turkish Aquatic Ecosystems: Sources, Characteristics, Implications, and Mitigation Strategies

This systematic review surveys microplastic pollution across Turkish rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. It found widespread contamination from textile fibers, packaging fragments, and agricultural films, with potential implications for local seafood safety and drinking water quality.

2023 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51 citations
Article Tier 2

First report of occurrence, distribution, and composition of microplastics in surface waters of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey

Researchers reported the first characterization of microplastic occurrence, distribution, and polymer composition in surface waters of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey, finding widespread contamination and identifying the types of plastics present in this heavily trafficked and enclosed marine system.

2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverine Microplastic Loading to Mersin Bay, Turkey on the North-eastern Mediterranean

Researchers characterized microplastics in eight rivers discharging into Mersin Bay in the northeastern Mediterranean, finding fibres dominated at 83.5% of particles and calculating a total load of approximately 1,200 billion particles delivered to the bay. Microplastic characteristics in the rivers closely matched those previously documented in the marine environment of Mersin Bay.

2022 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of Turkish lakes

Researchers surveyed seven lakes in Turkey and found microplastics in all of them, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types. Human activities like tourism, fishing, and urban waste disposal were identified as major sources, showing that even protected lake areas are contaminated with plastic particles that can enter drinking water supplies.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in Gulf of Bandırma, Sea of Marmara: Biota and sediment

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in fish, mollusks, and sediment from the Sea of Marmara in Turkey. They found microplastics in all species examined, averaging about 2 to 3 particles per individual, with fibers and polyethylene terephthalate being the most common types. The results indicate widespread microplastic pollution throughout this marine environment that may accumulate through the food web.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Microplastics in the Surface Water, Sediment and Fish of Sürgü Dam Reservoir (Malatya) in Turkey

Researchers found microplastic contamination across water, sediment, and fish tissues in Sürgü Dam Reservoir in Turkey, with fibers as the dominant type, polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene as the main polymers, and an average of 0.41 microplastic particles per fish.

2021 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Distribution of Microplastics in Different Inland Aquatic Ecosystems

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in seven Greek inland water bodies differing in morphology and human impact, finding microplastics (predominantly fibers) in all samples with abundances from 0.60 particles/m³, highlighting contamination even in less impacted freshwater systems.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Micro- and mesoplastics in Northeast Levantine coast of Turkey: The preliminary results from surface samples

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.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 141 citations
Article Tier 2

The broad-scale microplastic distribution in surface water and sediments along Northeastern Mediterranean shoreline

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic litter composition of the Turkish territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and its occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract of fish

Researchers analyzed microplastic litter composition in Turkish territorial waters of the Mediterranean, documenting polymer types, shapes, and sizes and identifying textiles and packaging as dominant plastic sources.

2017 Environmental Pollution 736 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Distribution of Microplastics in Different Inland Aquatic Ecosystems

Researchers sampled seven Greek inland aquatic ecosystems of varying types and found microplastics in all locations, with fibers dominating (0.47–149.4 items/m³) and higher concentrations in vertical than surface samples, indicating that morphology, trophic status, and anthropogenic pressure influence distribution.

2025 Water
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination Hotspots in the Sakarya, a Major Anatolian River: Evidence from Water and Sediment

Researchers sampled water and sediment at 10 stations along approximately 800 km of the Sakarya River in Turkey, finding microplastic concentrations up to 166.7 particles/m³ in surface water with PET and PVC dominant, and estimating annual transport of approximately 10¹¹ particles to downstream environments.

2026
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Turkey: a comparison of the influent and secondary effluent concentrations

Microplastics were detected in both influent and secondary effluent at two wastewater treatment plants in Turkey, with fibers as the predominant type in both streams. The study confirms that Turkish wastewater systems discharge substantial numbers of microplastic particles into receiving waters, consistent with findings from other countries.

2018 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 275 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-temporal distribution of microplastic abundances in Izmir Bay (eastern Aegean Sea)

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.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

The microplastic pattern in Turkish lakes: sediment and bivalve samples from Çıldır Lake, Almus Dam Lake, and Kartalkaya Dam Lake

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sediments and bivalves from three Turkish lakes, finding 19-156 microplastics per kilogram in sediments and varying levels in different bivalve species, with fibers and fragments as dominant shapes.

2022 TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the abundance, characteristics and potential ecological risk of microplastics in Batlama Stream (Giresun, Türkiye)

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in water and sediment samples from five stations along the Batlama Stream in Giresun, Turkey. The study found 124 items per kilogram in sediment and 88 items per liter in water, with transparent fibers being the most common type and polyethylene and polypropylene the dominant polymers.

2024 DergiPark (Istanbul University) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastic Pollution in the Sediment and Commercial Fish Species of Gemlik Bay (Marmara Sea) by Microscopic and Spectroscopic Methods

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in sediments and commercial fish species from Gemlik Bay in the Marmara Sea using microscopic and spectroscopic methods, finding highest sediment concentrations at Gemport Harbor (9,733 pieces/kg) and detecting microplastic accumulation primarily in fish gills, with particle type and abundance varying by species and location.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Dynamics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Littoral Sediments of the Sea of Marmara, Türkiye

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution in shoreline sediments across the entire Sea of Marmara and Canakkale Strait in Turkey. The study found microplastic abundances ranging from 199 to 1,286 items per kilogram, dominated by fibers and fragments, with polyethylene as the most common polymer type and blue as the most prevalent color.

2025 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and ecological risk assessment of a pond ecosystem

Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in a freshwater pond in Turkey, finding particles at all five sampling stations across multiple size classes. The study contributes baseline data on microplastic pollution in inland freshwater ecosystems in the region, where such monitoring is still limited despite the potential for drinking water and wildlife exposure.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution and Composition in Various Ecosystems of the Marmara Region: Current Gaps and Research Needs

Researchers compared microplastic composition and distribution across five ecosystems in Turkey's Marmara region: marine water, freshwater, marine sediment, freshwater sediment, and biota. Each ecosystem had distinct polymer profiles and size distributions, revealing that cross-compartment studies are essential for understanding the regional microplastic pollution landscape.

2025 Marine Science and Technology Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Türkiye

Researchers documented microplastic pollution in two remote rivers of Turkey, finding that even waterways far from major urban centers contain significant microplastic contamination, highlighting the widespread reach of plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Cevdet Dündar Pond: first observation on freshwater of Turkey

This study reports the first documented occurrence of microplastic pollution in Cevdet Dundar Pond, a Turkish freshwater body. Microplastics of various shapes and polymer types were found, establishing a baseline for freshwater microplastic monitoring in the region.

2020