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Microplastic Composition and Distribution Across the Pelagic and Benthic Zones of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Summary
Researchers sampled microplastics at multiple depths in the Gulf of Aqaba — from surface waters down to 840-meter-deep seafloor sediments — and found that particle size decreased with depth while fiber shapes dominated in open water and fragments accumulated on the seafloor. Concentrations reached nearly 7 particles per liter at the surface and 2,900 particles per kilogram of sediment. The study provides a baseline for monitoring this relatively understudied part of the Red Sea, which is important for regional fisheries and coral reef health.
Global concerns regarding microplastics emerging in the environment have been raised recently. Using samples collected during the OceanXplorer mission in Aqaba, we explored the depth-based and regional variations of microplastics across pelagic and benthic zones. Microplastics (63.0–950.0 μm) from the surface seawater, middle seawater, bottom seawater, and deep-sea sediment were quantified and identified using a dissecting microscope and Fourier Transform Infrared microscope (μ-FTIR). The results revealed that the average abundance of microplastics was 6.7 ± 6.05 particles L−1 in the pelagic zone and 2900 ± 1650 particles kg−1 in the benthic zone. A size gradation of microplastics was observed across depths from 5 to 840 m, accompanied by a shift in particle types: fragments were the most common in the benthic zone, whereas fibers dominated the pelagic zone. μ-FTIR analysis identified the presence of the following polymers: polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide 6 (PA 6), and polypropylene (PP). These findings establish baseline data for future monitoring and management efforts addressing microplastic pollution in the Gulf of Aqaba.