Pollution status of microplastics in freshwater basins of Türkiye: evidence from all <i>Barbus</i> (Daudin, 1805) species
HYDROBIOLOGIA, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10750-026-06271-3
- Dergi Adı: HYDROBIOLOGIA
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Environment Index, Geobase, Public Affairs Index, Zoological Record, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO), Pharma Collection (ProQuest)
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Microplastic (MP) pollution in freshwater ecosystems is a growing global concern, yet long-term data tracking its historical progression remains scarce. This study provides a retrospective analysis of MP ingestion in 12 Barbus species collected from five major hydrological basins in T & uuml;rkiye between 2004 and 2018. A total of 373 collection specimens were examined to quantify MP abundance, characterize polymer types using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and evaluate spatio-temporal patterns. Microplastics were detected in 19.8% of the individuals, with an average abundance of 0.27 MP/individual. The Caspian Sea basin exhibited the highest observed MP concentrations (1.67 MP/individual), though no statistically significant differences were determined among basins. Fibers were the dominant morphology, and ethylene-vinyl acetate and polyamide were the most frequent polymer types. Notably, MP ingestion was persistent throughout the study period, indicating a chronic presence of plastic in Turkish freshwater systems rather than a significant temporal trend. The results suggest that benthic Barbus species serve as suitable indicators for monitoring sediment-associated MP pollution, although their capacity to differentiate localized pollution gradients requires further investigation. This study underscores the role of museum collections in bridging historical data gaps and provides a baseline for future freshwater management strategies.