Assessment of the total microplastic stock in the eastern red sea

The Red Sea received limited attention in terms of plastic pollution research compared to other areas and vital shipping routes. With rapidly increasing urbanization and tourism development in the region and the upcoming international legally binding mechanisms to mitigate plastic pollution, it is essential to examine the level, distribution, and potential effects of plastics in the unique Red Sea ecosystem. Sediment and water column samples were collected in the Eastern Red Sea, from the Farasan Islands to the Gulf of Aqaba, during the Red Sea Decade Expedition (RSDE) between February and June 2022. Sixty sediment samples were collected using cores installed on the remotely operated vehicle. One hundred forty-five water column samples were collected using a CTD-rosette sampler with installed automatically closing bottle-net devices containing a 20-µm nylon mesh. Independent bathy-, meso-, and epipelagic layer samples were obtained by vertical hauls of the rosette. The samples were processed in the laboratory, and the post-treatment residue was collected on glass microfiber filters. After visual identification and manual collection of suspected microplastics, the particles were subjected to Raman spectroscopy. Preliminary results showed the prevalence of fibers (57 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/556724/document