Microplastic Pollution Profile of Pazarsuyu Stream (Giresun, Türkiye)

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 4, 463 - 480, 31.12.2025

Dilek Güngör , Cengiz Mutlu , Arzu Aydın Uncumusaoğlu

https://doi.org/10.58626/memba.1793471

Abstract

In this study, microplastic (MP) profiles in water, sediment and fish samples from three stations along the Pazarsuyu Stream, one of the important water resources in the Bulancak district of the Black Sea Region, were investigated. Water, sediment and fish samples were collected seasonally and the presence, type and amount of microplastics were determined. Both microscopic and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy techniques were used to analyze and identify the MPs. In the analysis conducted for all stations, a total of 480 MPs per kilogram were found in sediment samples, while 0.75 MPs per liter were found in water samples and 5.3 MPs per gram were found in the stomach contents of fish. The dominant color of MPs in water and sediment samples observed in the study is black, while the dominant color in stomach contents of fish is blue and black. In the analysis of polymer shapes from the collected water and sediment microplastics in this study, fibers were the dominant group. Conversely, fragments were predominantly found in stomach contents. Based on the FT-IR analysis results PP (Polypropylene) and PE (Polyethylene) were identified as the most abundant MP polymer types. Microplastics were also found in the digestive systems of fish, indicating a potential risk of passage into the food chain. This study reveals the extent of microplastic pollution in the Pazarsuyu Stream ecosystem and emphasizes the need for further research in terms of its potential effects on aquatic life and human health in the region. It also provides important data to local governments and stakeholders for pollution reduction strategies.

Keywords

Fish , freshwater , microplastic , sediment.

Ethical Statement

Necessary permissions have been obtained for my work.

Thanks

The authors would like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tanju Mutlu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kaan Karaoğlu for their contributions to the validation phase of ATR FT-IR in identifying MP polymers.

Pazarsuyu Deresi’nin (Giresun, Türkiye) Mikroplastik Kirlilik Profili

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, Karadeniz Bölgesi'nde yer alan Bulancak ilçesindeki önemli su kaynaklarından biri olan Pazarsuyu Deresi boyunca üç istasyondan su, sediment ve balık örneklerindeki mikroplastik (MP) profili araştırılmıştır. Su, sediment ve balık örnekleri mevsimsel olarak toplanmış ve mikroplastiklerin varlığı, türü ve miktarı belirlenmiştir. Mikroplastikleri analiz etmek ve tanımlamak için hem mikroskobik hem de ATR-FTIR spektroskopisi teknikleri kullanılmıştır. Tüm istasyonlar için yapılan analizde, sediment örneklerinde 480 adet/kg olduğu ortaya çıkarken, su örneklerinde 0,75 adet/L olduğu, balıkların mide içeriklerinde ise 5,3 adet/g rastlanmıştır. Çalışmada gözlenen su, sediment örneklerindeki MP’lerin baskın rengi siyah, balıkların mide içeriklerinde ise baskın renk mavi ve siyahtır. Araştırmada toplanan su ve sediment MP’lerinin polimer şekli analizinde baskın grup lif, mide içeriğinde ise fragment bulunmuştur. FT-IR analiz sonuçlarına göre, PP ve PE tespit edilen en bol MP polimer türleri olmuştur. Balıkların sindirim sistemlerinde de mikroplastiklere rastlanmış olup, bu durum besin zincirine potansiyel geçiş riskini işaret etmektedir. Bu çalışma, Pazarsuyu Deresi ekosistemindeki mikroplastik kirliliğinin boyutlarını ortaya koymakta ve bölgedeki sucul yaşam ve insan sağlığı üzerindeki potansiyel etkileri açısından daha fazla araştırmanın gerekliliğini vurgulamaktadır. Ayrıca, yerel yönetim ve paydaşlara kirliliği azaltma stratejileri için önemli veriler sunar.

Keywords

Balık , mikroplastik , sediment , tatlı su.

Ethical Statement

Çalışmam için gerekli izinler alınmıştır.

Thanks

Yazarlar, MP polimerlerinin tanımlanmasında ATR FT-IR'nin validasyon aşamasına katkılarından dolayı Doç. Dr. Tanju Mutlu ve Doç. Dr. Kaan Karaoğlu'na teşekkürlerini sunarlar.

References

• Alam, F. C., Sembiring, E., Muntalif, B. S., & Suendo, V. (2019). Microplastic distribution in surface water and sediment river around slum and industrial area (case study: Ciwalengke River, Majalaya district, Indonesia). Chemosphere, 224, 637-645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.188
• Akdemir, T., & Gedik, K. (2023). Microplastic emission trends in Turkish primary and secondary municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents discharged into the Sea of Marmara and Black Sea. Environmental Research, 231, 116188.
• Akdogan, Z., Guven, B., & Kideys, AE (2023). Distribution of microplastics in surface water and sediment water of the Ergene River. Environmental Research, 234, 116500. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116500
• Akkan, T., Gedik, K., & Mutlu, T. (2023). Protracted dynamicity of microplastics in the coastal sediment of the Southeast Black Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 188, 114722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114722
• Aydın Uncumusaoğlu, A. (2024). Aksu Çayı'ndaki (Giresun, Türkiye) mikroplastik kirlilik profili ve potansiyel ekolojik risk. Karadeniz Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 14(2), 953-969. https://doi.org/10.31466/kfbd.1489735.
• Baalkhuyur, F. M., Dohaish, E. J. A. B., Elhalwagy, M. E., Alikunhi, N. M., AlSuwailem, A. M., Røstad, A., ... & Duarte, C. M. (2018). Microplastic in the gastrointestinal tract of fishes along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Marine pollution bulletin,131, 407-415.
• Bayhan, B. & Uncumusaoglu, AA (2024). İzmir Körfezi'ndeki (Ege Denizi, Türkiye) bazı ticari balıklarda bulunan mikroplastiklerin bolluğu, özellikleri ve potansiyel ekolojik riskleri. Deniz Bilimlerinde Bölgesel Çalışmalar,73, 103488.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103488
• Bayley, P. B., & Herendeen, R. A. (2000). The efficiency of a small electrofishing boat. Fisheries Research, 45(1), 71-82.
• Bellas, J., Martínez-Armental, J., Martínez-Cámara, A., Besada, V., & Martínez-Gómez, C. (2016). Ingestion of microplastics by demersal fish from the Spanish Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Marine pollution bulletin, 109(1), 55-60.
• Bozma, C., Şimşek, N., Tastan, Y., & Sönmez, A. Y. (2023). Mikroplastik Kirliliği ve Tatlısu Ekosistemlerindeki Etkileri. Memba Kastamonu Üniversitesi Su Ürünleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 9(1), 54-62.
• Bulat, F. N., & Kılınç, B. (2020). Plastik ve mikroplastiklerin su canlıları ve insan sağlığı üzerindeki etkileri. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 37(4), 437-443.
• Ciner, M. N., Özbaş, E. E., Özcan, H. K., Öngen, A., Güneysu, S., & Aydın, S. (2023). Plastik atık ve plastik ayak izi. Ulusal Çevre Bilimleri Araştırma Dergisi, 6(2), 86-92.
• Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Halsband, C. & Galloway, TS (2011) Microplastics as Pollutants in the Marine Environment: A Review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62, 2588-2597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.09.025
• Cox, K. D., Covernton, G. A., Davies, H. L., Daughton, C. G., Juanes, F., & Dudas, S. E. (2019). Human ingestion of microplastics. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(12), 7068-7074. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01517
• Çebi, H., & Uncumusaoğlu, A. A. (2024). Evaluation of the abundance, characteristics and potential ecological risk of microplastics in Batlama Stream (Giresun, Türkiye). Menba Kastamonu Üniversitesi Su Ürünleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 10(1), 68-82.
• Dzierżyński, E., Gawlik, P. J., Puźniak, D., Flieger, W., Jóźwik, K., Teresiński, G., ... & Flieger, J. (2024). Microplastics in the human body: Exposure, detection, and risk of carcinogenesis: A state-of-the-art review. Cancers, 16(21), 3703. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16213703
• Eo, S., Hong, S. H., Song, Y. K., Han, G. M., & Shim, W. J. (2019). Spatiotemporal distribution and annual load of microplastics in the Nakdong River, South Korea. Water Research, 160, 228-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.053
• Eryaşar, A. R., Gedik, K., Şahin, A., Öztürk, R. Ç., & Yılmaz, F. (2021). Characteristics and temporal trends of microplastics in the coastal area in the Southern Black Sea over the past decade. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 173, 112993.
• Eryaşar, A. R., Mutlu, T., Karaoğlu, K., Veske, E., & Gedik, K. (2024). Assessment of microplastic pollution in eleven commercial fish species in the Gulf of İzmir (Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 208, 116932.
• Fan, Y., Zheng, J., Deng, L., Rao, W., Zhang, Q., Liu, T., & Qian, X. (2022). Spatiotemporal dynamics of microplastics in an urban river network area. Water Research, 212, 118116.
• Gedik, K., & Atasaral, Ş. (2022). The microplastic pattern in Turkish lakes: sediment and bivalve samples from Çıldır Lake, Almus Dam Lake, and Kartalkaya Dam Lake. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 46(5), 397-408.
• Gedik, K., Mutlu, T., Eryaşar, A. R., Bayçelebi, E., & Turan, D. (2024). Long-term investigation of microplastic abundance in Squalius species in Turkish inland waters. Environmental Pollution, 343, 123278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123278
• Gençağ, B. S. (2025). Microplastic Pollution: Health Risks and Sustainable Solutions. Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University Journal of Science,12(1), 333-343.
• Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science advances, 3(7), e1700782.
• Güler, Ş. (2022). Microplastics and Microplastic-Related Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Surface Waters (Master's thesis, Necmettin Erbakan University (Turkey)).
• Hermsen, E., Pompe, R., Besseling, E. & Koelmans, AA (2017). Low detection of microplastics in North Sea fish using stringent quality assurance criteria. Marine pollution bulletin,122 (1-2), 253-258.
• Jabeen, K., Su, L., Li, J., Yang, D., & Yang, S. (2017). Microplastics in the gut of two common marine fish from a seafood market in Shenzhen, China. Science of The Total Environment, 596, 172-179.
• Jambeck, JR, Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., Siegler, TR, Perryman, M., Andrady, A., ... & Law, KL (2015). Plastic waste entering the ocean from land. Science, 347 (6223), 768-771.
• Kasamesiri, P., & Thaimuangphol, W. (2020). Microplastics ingestion by freshwater fish in the Chi River, Thailand.Geomate Journal,18(67), 114-119.
• Kiliç, T., & Uncumusaoğlu, A. A. (2024). Microplastics characterization, abundance and distribution on the coast of Ordu province (Türkiye).Menba Kastamonu Üniversitesi Su Ürünleri Fakültesi Dergisi,10(2), 55-70. https://doi.org/10.58626/menba.1517450
• Kleinbaum, D. G., Kupper, L. L., Muller, K. E., & Nizam, A. (1998). Applied regression analysis and other multivariable methods. Duxbury Press.
• Lusher, A.L., McHugh, M. & Thompson, R.C. (2013) Occurrence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pelagic and Demersal Fish from the English Channel. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 67, 94-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.11.028
• Masura, J., Baker, J., Foster, G., & Arthur, C. (2015). Laboratory methods for the analysis of microplastics in the marine environment: Recommendations for quantifying synthetic particles in waters and sediments.
• Miserli, K., Lykos, C., Kalampounias, A.G. & Konstantinou, I. (2023). Screening for microplastics in aquaculture systems (fish, mussels and water samples) using FTIR, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Applied Sciences,13 (17), 9705. DOI: 10.3390/app13179705
• Mutlu, T., Gedik, K., & Eryaşar, A.R. (2022). Investigation of Microplastic Accumulation in Horse Mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) Caught in the Black Sea. Anatolian Journal of Environmental and Animal Sciences, 7(4), 561-567. https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1204060
• Mutlu, E., & Aydın Uncumusaoglu, A. (2024). Research on Water Quality for Evaluation Using the Water Quality Index and Multivariate Statistical Approach of Evrenye Stream (Kastamonu, Türkiye). Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. https://doi. org/10.15244/pjoes/192355.
• Mutlu, E., & Aydın Uncumusaoglu, A. (2025). Research on Water Quality for Evaluation Using the Water Quality Index and Multivariate Statistical Approach of Evrenye Stream (Kastamonu, Türkiye) Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. https://doi. org/10.15244/pjoes/192355
• Mutlu, T., Ceylan, Y., Baytaşoğlu, H. & Gedik, K. (2025). Characterization of microplastics in sediments and surface waters of Turkish lakes. Journal of Pollutant Hydrology, 272, 104576.
• Öncü, C., & Aydemir, M. E. (2024). Mikroplastikler ve Halk Sağlığı: Mikroplastikler. Mehes Journal, 2(2), 29-43. Rochman, C. M., Tahara, J. M., Williams, E. S., Alisa, M. B., & Jenkins, J. (2017). Microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish and the water from an urban prairie creek. FACETS, 2(1), 168-185.
• Şimşek, İ. (2021). Microplastics in the food chain. Çankırı Karatekin University, Eldivan Health Services Vocational School, Department of Environmental Health,82-88.
• Tatlı, H. H., Altunışık, A., & Gedik, K., (2023). Microplastic Pollution in Ponds (Türkiye). 25th National Biology Congress (pp.193), İzmir, Turkey.
• Teng, J., Zhao, J., Zhang, C., Cheng, B., Koelmans, AA, Wu, D., ... & Wang, Q. (2020). Systems analysis of microplastic pollution in Laizhou Bay, China. Total Environmental Science, 745, 140815. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140815
• Terzi, Y., Öztürk, R. Ç., Eryaşar, A. R., Yandı, İ., Şahin, A., Yılmaz, F., Gedik, K., & Gündogdu, S. (2025). Riverine microplastic discharge along the southern Black Sea coast of Türkiye. Environmental Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ADAF47
• Uysal, O. G. (2021). Microplastic pollution in rivers and İts hydrodynamic modeling. European Journal of Science and Technology, (28), 1410-1414.
• Wang, G., Lu, J., Tong, Y., Liu, Z., Zhou, H., & Xiayihazi, N. (2020). Occurrence and pollution characteristics of microplastics in surface water of the Manas River Basin, China. Sci. Total Environ. 710, 136099.
• Winiarska, E., Jutel, M., & Zemelka-Wiacek, M. (2024). The potential impact of nano-and microplastics on human health: Understanding human health risks. Environmental Research, 118535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.118535
• Wright, S. L., & Kelly, F. J. (2017). Plastic and human health: a micro issue? Environmental Science & Technology, 51(12), 6649-6653. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b00423
• Wu, J., Yin, X., Liu, Y., Chen, X., Xie, C., Liang, Y., Li, J., & Jiang, Z. (2022). Seasonal variation and ecological risk assessment of microplastics ingested by economic fishes in Lake Chaohu, China. Science of the Total Environment, 833, 155181. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155181.
• Wu, J., Lai, M., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Zhou, H., Jiang, R. & Zhang, C. (2020). Microplastics in the digestive tracts of commercial fish from marine farming in the East China Sea, China. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 2 , 100066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2020.100066
• Zhao, X., Liu, Z., Cai, L., & Han, J. (2023). Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in surface sediments of a typical river with a highly eroded catchment, a case of the Yan River, a tributary of the Yellow River. Science of the Total Environment, 863, 160932.
• Zhou, Z., Zhang, P., Zhang, G., Wang, S., Cai, Y., & Wang, H. (2021). Vertical microplastic distribution in sediments of Fuhe River estuary to Baiyangdian Wetland in Northern China. Chemosphere, 280, 130800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130800