Microplastics Pollution in Aquatic Environment: A Review of Abundance, Distribution, and Composition in the Egyptian Coastal Waters

The continuous production and widespread use of synthetic plastics, along with the resulting waste, pose significant environmental challenges and threaten ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a novel type of contaminants in aquatic environments, posing risks to both ecosystems and human health. Egypt is distinguished by the diversity of its aquatic environment. The Mediterranean Sea is globally recognized as a major hotspot for the accumulation of marine litter and plastic pollution. On the other hand, the Nile River is considered a major source of plastic pollution flowing into the eastern Mediterranean basin. In addition, the Red Sea Coast of Egypt is confronted with various anthropogenic stressors that contribute to the accumulation of plastic litter in the region, causing a significant threat to the sensitive and critical ecosystems found there. Despite the global documentation of MPs pollution, there is a lack of sufficient data on the extent of MPs and their interaction with other contaminants in the aquatic environment of Egypt. Monitoring and assessing the extent of MPs pollution in aquatic environments are crucial initial steps, providing a foundation for developing recommendations and policies to mitigate major marine pollutants. This study concerned with MPs pollution in the aquatic environment, with an aim to define the various types of MPs , their sources, fate, toxicity, characterization and impact on human health. In addition, it aimed to summarize the existing research conducted in the Egyptian aquatic environments, offering an overview of the current knowledge regarding the abundance and distribution of MPs in Egypt's aquatic ecosystems.