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Assessment of microplastic abundance and impact on recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline
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Researchers assessed microplastic abundance on three recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline. The study found an average of about 55 microplastic items per square meter, predominantly fragments, and used a pollution index to characterize contamination levels, contributing important baseline data for understanding plastic pollution along the understudied North African Mediterranean coast.
Microplastics (MPs) have attracted global attention due to their ubiquity and potential impact on the environment. However, MPs are poorly documented along the Algerian coast. To address this data gap, this study investigated the presence of MPs on three recreational beaches in western Algeria (Stidia, Sablettes and Mersat El Hadjaj). The mean MP abundance for the three beaches was estimated at 55.47 ± 48.01 items/m. Characterization of MPs shape revealed that fragments (79.81 %) were dominant, followed by pellets (10.58 %), filaments (5.57 %), and foam (3.85 %). An assessment of the Microplastic Pollution Index, the Pellet Pollution Index, and the Coefficient of Microplastic Impact, revealed the presence of very low to moderate levels of MPs on the beaches. This presence was associated with minimal beach pollution and moderate overall impact. The sector analysis approach results confirm that there are two different magnitudes of MPs presence that can negatively impact on the environmental quality of the studied beaches.
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Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Beach Sediments Along the Eastern Algerian Coast: Distribution Patterns, Abundance, and Potential Origins
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Occurrence and characterization of surface sediment microplastics and litter from North African coasts of Mediterranean Sea: Preliminary research and first evidence
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Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic and macro-litter contamination along North African Mediterranean coasts in the Gulf of Annaba, Algeria. Five types of microplastics were identified, with fibers being the most common at 70%, and polyethylene the dominant polymer. The distribution of contamination was linked to proximity to populated areas, wastewater discharges, and industrial installations.
Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast
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Researchers surveyed fourteen beaches along the northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastics in every sediment sample, averaging about 59 particles per kilogram of dry sand. Fibers were the dominant shape at nearly 78%, with tourism, fishing, and wastewater discharges identified as the most likely pollution sources. The findings indicate moderate but widespread microplastic contamination along this coastline.
Persistence and potential increasing accumulation of microplastic pollution on the Skikda coast (northeastern Algeria)
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Microplastic surveys of five beaches along the Skikda coast in Algeria found average abundances of over 6,000 items/m in both spring and autumn — the highest recorded in Algeria — dominated by fragments, pellets, foams, and fibers.
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