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Identification and Measurement of Microplastics in Posidonia oceanica Banquettes in the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia
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Researchers identified and measured microplastic debris accumulating in Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds in Tunisia's Gulf of Gabes, suggesting that these protected Mediterranean seagrasses may serve as natural traps for plastic pollution — both a warning sign and a potential monitoring tool.
Plastic pollution and microplastic (MPs) debris are some of the most significant solid waste pollutants, menacing the marine environment. However, Posidonia oceanica, an endemic Mediterranean Sea seagrass, has been revealed as an MPs’ accumulation agent. This...
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Spectroscopic characterization and accumulation of microplastics in the banquette of Posidonia oceanica in the Tunisian coasts
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Researchers collected Posidonia oceanica seagrass banquettes from seven sites along Tunisia's coast and confirmed the presence of microplastics at all sites using both FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, with polystyrene, PET, and PVC being most common. The findings show that seagrass accumulations serve as indicators of coastal microplastic contamination and reflect pollution from packaging, textiles, and fishing activities.
Assessing microplastic presence and distribution in sandy beaches: a case study of the Gulf of Tunis coastline
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A seasonal survey of Gulf of Tunis beach sediments found microplastic concentrations ranging from 109 particles/kg in summer to 531 particles/kg in winter, with polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers and higher accumulation in upper beach and dune zones than in wave-exposed foreshores. These findings reveal how beach morphology and seasonal dynamics shape microplastic distribution at a major entry point for litter into the Mediterranean marine system.
Describing Microplastics in the Seagrass Beds of South Florida
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Researchers collected sediment cores from seagrass beds in South Florida to measure microplastic contamination in this ecologically critical habitat, applying standardized methods to enable more reliable comparisons with microplastic studies conducted at other sites around the world.
The First Evaluation of Microplastics in Sediments from the Complex Lagoon-Channel of Bizerte (Northern Tunisia)
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Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastics in sediments from the Bizerte lagoon-channel in Tunisia, finding concentrations of 3–18 items per gram dominated by fibers from fishing and urban discharge, identifying this coastal site as a microplastic hotspot with implications for seafood safety.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.