Presence of microplastic in the Patella caerulea from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2023-03, Vol.188, p.114684-114684, Article 114684
• Main Authors: Yücel, Nebil, Kılıç, Ece
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environmental Monitoring - methods; Ingestion; İskenderun Bay; Mediterranean limpet; Mediterranean Sea; Microplastic; Microplastics; Patella; Plastics; Pollution; Polyethylene - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114684

This study reports first evidence of microplastic detection in the Patella caerulea collected from 5 different stations located in İskenderun Bay and Mersin Bay. A total of 160 P. caerulea specimens were examined and 40 of them contained MPs in their soft tissues. The number of microplastics extracted per sample varied from 0.20 ± 0.5 items/ind to 0.45 ± 0.7 items/ind depending on station. Fibers were predominant type of MPs and accounted for 75 % to 87.5 % of total extracted MPs, followed by fragments (12.5–25 %). Majority of MPs were 0.5–1 mm size and black in color. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the extracted MPs were polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high density polyethylene (HDPE). This study contributes to the knowledge of the transfer of microplastics to the marine food web and highlights the need for protective measurements. •First report of detection of microplastic (MP) in Mediterranean limpet Patella caerulea.•25 % of examined individuals were contaminated by microplastics.•Microplastic abundance varied between 0.20 ± 0.5 items/ind to 0.45 ± 0.7 items/ind depending on stations.•MP particles were dominated by black fibers.