Investigation of Microplastic in Digestive System Contents of Some Fish Species Distributed in Izmir Bay (Aegean Sea)
Project no. 21869 · Status: Kapanmış · 2020
Summary
<p>Plastic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems have been of wide interest and research since the early 1970s. However, research on microplastics has been carried out in some fish species only found in the Mediterranean for the marine ecosystem in our country. Other studies carried out in our seas are in the water and sediment columns. This research was carried out in Izmir Bay, which is one of the important fishing areas of the Aegean Sea, in the period of September 2020 – September 2021. During the research, 366 fish including 13 species belonging to 8 families were obtained and examined in the laboratory. These species, together with their families, are respectively; European pilchard (Clupeidae), European anchovy (Engraulidae), Garfish (Belonidae), False scad, Atlantic horse mackerel, Mediterranean horse mackerel (Carangidae), Red Mullet, Surmullet (Mullidae), Bogue, Saddled seabream (Sparidae), Atlantic Mackerel, Atlantic chub mackerel (Scombridae), Common sole (Soleidae). The length measurements of the individuals obtained were carried out with a measuring board with 1mm intervals, and the weight measurements were made with a balance with a precision of 0.001g. Digestive systems, which were taken from individuals and packaged, were kept at -20 degrees until analysis. At the analysis stage, the entire digestive system of the individuals, including the stomach and intestines, was removed and then the organic matter was dissolved after filtering. After visual separation of microplastics with a stereo microscope, shapes (film, fragments, fibers, foam or pellets), sizes and colors were also separated under the microscope. Microplastics were confirmed by Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR). Measurements were also carried out by photographing the images under the microscope. As a result, the presence of microplastics in the diet composition of 13 fish species distributed in Izmir Bay, which is one of the important fishing areas of the Aegean Sea and having economic importance, as determined for the first time.</p>