Comprehensive Review regarding the Profile of the Microplastic Pollution in the Coastal Area of the Black Sea

Abstract

Lately, the interest in researching microplastics in the Black Sea has increased, highlighting areas of accumulation in which the amounts of microplastics are alarming, such as seafood consumed by the population. The Black Sea has special characteristics in terms of currents and wave dynamics that create opportunities for the accumulation of microplastics in hotspot points, such as in the context of large rivers discharge that contains large amounts of pollutants and new sources of contamination. This article offers a literature-based profile on plastic pollution in the Black Sea—pollution that originates in the discharge of large rivers, transportation, and other economic activities, even the COVID-19 pandemic—in order to highlight “microplastic hotspots” before the current political crisis that directly involves the Black Sea worsens.

Accumulation of microplastics in Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha, Pallas, 1771) in the sand pit lake Kazichene, Bulgaria

“…Previous studies on microplastic pollution in Bulgaria have primarily concentrated on the Black Sea and coastal lakes, with no prior research conducted on freshwater bodies [14,15,16,17]. Therefore, it is important to investigate the microplastic pollution in Bulgaria's freshwater bodies.…”

The odd couple: Caffeine and microplastics. Morphological and physiological changes in Mytilus galloprovincialis

“…Presently, there is significant emphasis placed on exploring the interplay between the physiological impacts of pharmaceuticals and microplastics (MPs) (Aliko et al, 2022; Avio et al, 2015; Menéndez‐Pedriza & Jaumot, 2020; Shiry et al, 2023). The plastic industry's continuous growth and increased waste production have led to a rise in MPs discharge into aquatic environments (Banaee et al, 2019; Capo et al, 2021; Hodkovicova et al, 2022; Savuca et al, 2022). However, the potential effects of MPs in combination with commonly found water contaminants, such as pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and micropollutants, remain unclear (Aliko et al, 2022; Arif et al, 2022; Banaee et al, 2022; Gu et al, 2020; Ravi et al, 2023).…”

Assessing the impact of dietary polystyrene nanoplastics on growth performance, immunological parameters, and antioxidant defense in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…Plastic marine pollution includes both macroplastics (particles larger than 5 mm) and microplastics (MPs, particles smaller than 5 mm) (Thompson et al, 2004). Dumping or poor waste disposal management around the rivers caused plastics to enter the marine environments, and they harm the environment through entanglement and erosion or habitat destruction (Burgos‐Aceves et al, 2022; Multisanti et al, 2022; Savuca et al, 2022; Vegter et al, 2014). When macroplastic is exposed to environmental conditions, it is fragmented through mechanical abrasion, photo‐oxidation, and biological gradation and produces particles less than 5 mm, which are known as microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) (Alimi et al, 2018; Andrady, 2011; Oliveira et al, 2019).…”