High level of micro-plastic pollution in the Iskenderun Bay NE Levantine coast of Turkey

Microplastic pollution is a global problem. The Mediterranean Sea, especially, has high pressure of pollution as it is enclosed by highly populated and industrialized countries. In this study, we have determined the level of microplastic pollution in the Iskenderun Bay, located in the Northeastern Levantine coast of Turkey. The average level of microplastic has been determined to be 1,067,120 particles/km(2) at fourteen stations. The highest level has been determined at the M4 station in the middle of the bay (with 1820 items; 2,888,889 particles/km(2)), and the lowest level has been found at the M11 station (62 items; 98,412 particles/km(2)). As a result of this study, it was determined that the microplastic pollution level in the Iskenderun Bay is higher than the other regions of the Mediterranean Sea.