Sea of Marmara Faces "Mucilage" Problem

In recent weeks, a thick adhesive substance formed by plants and microorganisms on the surface of the Sea of Marmara, defined as "marine mucilage," has become a significant environmental problem. Experts who state that the mucilage has caused serious ecological damage in the Sea of Marmara emphasize that domestic and industrial waste are also contributing factors to this pollution. Experts drawing attention to the fact that the mucilage has raised public questions concerning swimming in the sea and the consumption of products such as fish and mussels point out that ecological analysis must be conducted to answer these questions. Dr. Lecturer Sultan Mehtap Büyüker from the Üsküdar University School of Health Services (SHMYO) made assessments regarding the mucilage that has occurred recently in the Sea of Marmara.

Rising seawater temperature also causes mucilage

Dr. Lecturer Sultan Mehtap Büyüker expressed that the mucilage problem seen in the Sea of Marmara has upset everyone, saying, "Mucilage is also known as sea saliva. We define the thick adhesive substance formed by plants and microorganisms as mucilage. The mucilage problem is actually a long-standing issue in the Sea of Marmara. When looking at the causes of mucilage formation, mucilage can form when appropriate biological and chemical conditions are created. Factors such as rising seawater temperature, excessive pollution of the seas, and reduced sea movement can cause mucilage formation."  

Clear information can only be provided through analysis results

Noting that naturally this situation has raised some questions among the public, Büyüker stated, "To be able to answer questions such as whether we can swim in the sea and whether we can consume sea products like fish and mussels, samples must first be taken from areas with mucilage, seawater, and the mucilage itself, and ecological analyses must be conducted. Without analysis results, it is incorrect to make statements such as 'mucilage creates toxic effects or can cause poisonings' or 'there is concern about eating sea products like fish and mussels, poisonings may occur.' We can only say this after toxicological analyses."

Domestic and industrial waste creates pollution

Dr. Lecturer Sultan Mehtap Büyüker noted that aside from toxicity, mucilage forms due to sea pollution, and given that many people live around the Sea of Marmara, she concluded her remarks as follows: "The discharge of domestic and industrial waste into the sea has gradually created this pollution, and currently serious ecological damage is occurring. As a result, organisms leave the environment where they cannot live or they die. We can speak here of decay and deterioration. Naturally, and due to decomposition, a microbiological environment forms. In other words, from a microbiological standpoint, swimming in the sea may be inadvisable at the moment, but all of these questions can only be answered definitively after microbiological and toxicological analyses are conducted. It is not appropriate to make any definitive statements without analyses at this time."