PLASTIC POLLUTION OF THE BLACK SEA COASTAL ZONE: CURRENT STATE OF RESEARCH

Abstract

This paper presents a review of published papers on plastic litter pollution of the Black Sea (macro- and microplastics). The review includes 54 papers published between 2010 and 2026. It provides an analysis of sampling and analytical methods as well as concentrations in different environments (surface water, water column, beach, bottom sediments). Beaches are the most studied environment, while the water column remains virtually unexplored. It is shown that the greatest number of studies were conducted for the coasts of Turkey (40 %), Romania (24 %), and Bulgaria (22 %). The main sampling method is manual collection, and the dominant analysis method is visual sorting and identification. Spectral verification is only used in one third of the studies. Significant heterogeneity in the units of measurement and the lower limit of particle accounting (from 20 μm to 2.5 mm) was revealed, which limits direct comparison of results. Typical concentrations are: approximately 3.5 particles/m³ in surface waters (caught with a 300–333 µm mesh net), 16 particles/m³ in the water column, 580 particles/kg in beach sand, and 370 particles/kg (dry weight) in bottom sediments. Macrolitter on beaches occurs at an average density of 1.3 particles/m², while on the seabed it reaches 490 particles/km². The highest pollution levels were observed near large cities, tourist areas, and river estuaries, particularly the Danube. The need for standardized monitoring protocols to ensure data comparability is emphasized. This review can serve as a basis for planning expeditionary work and numerical modeling.