Microplastic Pollution and Possible Sources in Datça-Bozburun Special Environmental Protection Area

Microplastic (MPs) pollution emerges as a significant environmental issue that poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health on a global scale. Present study investigated MPs pollution in the Datça-Bozburun Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA) located in the south-eastern Mediterranean coastline of Türkiye. Samples were collected from 17 stations revealed that the abundance of MP contaminations ranged from 10 MPs.m-3 in pristine areas to 56.7 MPs.m-3 in the most polluted zone and average size of 1.49±1.11 mm was detected. Fiber particles were the most common type, accounting for 92.9% of the pollution. The most common polymer types are ethylene/propylene copolymer and polyethylene terephthalate, accounting for 37.5% and 16.7% of the sample, respectively. The analyses conducted regarding the terrestrial land use information of the sampling area have identified potential pollution sources in six sampling areas due to anthropogenic activities. It was found that a high population density significantly influenced pollution levels in three of these areas. In the other three areas, pollution was shaped not only by the dense population but also by agricultural practices and the presence of a port. Besides that, two heavily polluted stations lacked significant land use activities, suggesting that regimes effective in the region might play a role in transporting MP particles to the area. Our result indicated that MPs pollution in the SEPA is a concern, and further research is needed to better understand the sources and pathways of MPs contamination in this critical base for biodiversity of Türkiye`s Mediterranean coastline.