Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Characterization of Microplastic Pollution in The Three Main Freshwater Systems (Aksu and Köprü Streams, Manavgat River) And Fishing Grounds Located in Their Vicinities in The Antalya Bay

Researchers found 2,444 microplastics across three freshwater systems near Antalya Bay, Turkey, with fibers (57%) and fragments (33%) dominating, and polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common polymers, showing a homogeneous pollution pattern across all sampling sites.

2021 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of Seasonal Microplastic pollutıon Variation in Aquatic Environments: Case Study from İskenderun Technical University Pond

Microplastic abundance in a university pond in Turkey ranged from 0.5 to 10.8 particles per liter and varied significantly by season, with rainfall and stormwater runoff being the main drivers of contamination. Black polyester and polypropylene fibers under 1 mm were the most common type found. The study demonstrates that even small, semi-enclosed inland water bodies can accumulate significant microplastic loads and that seasonal monitoring is needed to accurately characterize contamination levels.

2024 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: A case study from Turkey

Microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems across Turkey was assessed as a case study, finding widespread contamination in rivers and lakes. The study highlighted that most microplastic research in Turkey, as globally, has focused on marine environments, leaving freshwater systems relatively understudied despite comparable contamination levels.

2020 Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 30 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

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

Microplastic Pollution at Different Trophic Levels of Freshwater Fish in a Variety of Türkiye`s Lakes and Dams

This study surveyed microplastic contamination in seven freshwater fish species from lakes and reservoirs across Türkiye, finding microplastic particles in the gastrointestinal tracts of all 406 fish examined. All ingested microplastics were fibres, predominantly blue in colour, suggesting textile sources. The broad geographic scope and 100% prevalence across species and water bodies indicate that microplastic contamination of freshwater fish is widespread throughout Türkiye, with implications for human exposure through fish consumption.

2023 Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 11 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

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

A review of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems of Turkey

This review of plastic pollution in Turkish aquatic ecosystems found that both macro- and microplastics have been documented in marine and freshwater environments, with Turkey identified as a major contributor to Mediterranean and Black Sea plastic pollution but limited regulation and monitoring in place.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 57 citations
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 aquatic ecosystems: sources, impacts, and mitigation strategies

This review synthesizes 60 peer-reviewed studies on microplastic contamination in Turkish aquatic ecosystems, examining sources, characteristics, and impacts on marine and freshwater habitats and the organisms living within them. The analysis identifies knowledge gaps in monitoring programs and highlights the need for standardized methods to track MP pollution across diverse aquatic environments.

2025 International Journal of Aquatic Research and Environmental Studies
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

First Evaluation of Microplastic Pollution in the Surface Waters of the Lake Kovada (Isparta, Türkiye)

Researchers conducted the first evaluation of microplastic pollution in Lake Kovada, a protected freshwater body in Turkey, finding an average abundance of 442 particles per square meter in surface waters. Polyethylene and PET were the most common polymers, with filaments and fragments being the dominant types, likely originating from nearby agricultural activity, recreation, and atmospheric fallout.

2025 MEMBA Su Bilimleri Dergisi 1 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
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in a dam lake in Turkey: type, mesh size effect, and bacterial biofilm communities

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in Sureyyabey Dam Lake in Turkey, comparing MP detection using 300 μm and 100 μm mesh nets and characterizing MP type, shape, color, and polymer composition at four sampling stations. The study also found bacterial biofilm communities growing on MP surfaces in both water and net-captured samples, highlighting MPs as microbial colonization substrates in freshwater reservoirs.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Fish: First Insights from Gelingüllü Reservoir (Türkiye)

Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic contamination in freshwater fish from Gelingullu Reservoir in Turkey, examining common carp, mirror carp, and European perch. Microplastics were found in 75% of the 77 fish examined, with fibers being the dominant type and particles smaller than 100 micrometers being most prevalent. Polystyrene, polyester, and polypropylene were the main polymers identified across gill and gastrointestinal tract samples.

2025 Water Air & Soil Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Levels in Water and Sediment of Karaçomak Dam Lake (Kastamonu, Türkiye)

Microplastic abundance in water and sediment samples from Karaçomak Dam Lake in Turkey was assessed across four seasons in 2023. MPs were detected in all samples, with fibres predominating, and concentrations varied seasonally, raising concern for a drinking and irrigation water source affected by plastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Agricultural Production 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing microplastic pathways: assessing pollution in a freshwater lake with high tourist activity

Lake Gölcük in western Turkey, a freshwater lake under growing pressure from tourism and development, was found to contain microplastics across all sampled compartments—water, sediments, fish muscle, fish digestive tracts, and invertebrate tissues. Tourist-heavy areas of the lake showed the highest contamination, suggesting recreational human activity is a major local source. The presence of microplastics in fish muscle tissue is particularly significant because it indicates that plastic particles can enter the human food chain through locally caught fish.

2026 Environmental Sciences Europe
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

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

Yerüstü Su Kaynaklarinda Mi̇kroplasti̇kler

This Turkish review examines microplastic contamination in surface water sources, tracing how plastic waste introduced since the 1950s degrades into microplastics that are transported to aquatic environments via river runoff and urban-industrial discharges, where they accumulate and adversely affect aquatic life.

2024