Microplastics distribution, abundance and composition in some benthic organisms of the Gorgan Bay, Caspian Sea

Microplastic is releasing to the aquatic environment worldwide, so they considered as a globe issue and appears being widespread in all level of aquatic ecosystems and revealing serious threats to biota. Since they are often ingested by living organisms, the major concern is their transferring from lower trophic level to higher trophic level through the food. Due to the importance of Gorgan Bay as one of the ecologically important areas of the Caspian Sea and the importance of fundamental information on the pollution status of this region, a study conducted for evaluation of microplastic pollution in sediments as well as benthos community as a base level of food web which are food-dependent on sediments. Samples caught from ۳ areas (North, central, South) through sampling from ۲۱ stations. The range of microplastics abundance in sediments was ۸۰±۲۵ to ۷۴۰±۱۰۵ n/kg. Fibers, Black microplastics, and size of ۱–۲ mm (۴۲.۴%) were prevalence observed in sediment and living organisms. According to the FTIR results, among studied organisms, the most microplastic levels were found in the soft tissues of mussele Cerastoderma lamarcki (۱۹.۸ n/g). The results of this study present the comprehensive information on microplastics distribution and charecteristics in sediments, and shellfishes of Gorgan Bay which could help to run better management over this sensitive ecosystem and would be a start point for further research on microplastics effect on organisms.

Keywords:

Microplastic , Sediment , Mussels , Gorgan Bay