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Microplastics in Sediments and Surface Water of the Coastal Macta Marshes, a Ramsar Site, Northwest Algeria
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For the first time, researchers documented microplastic contamination in the Macta marshes of northwest Algeria — a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention — finding plastic particles in both sediment (averaging 254 particles per kg) and surface water (nearly 4 particles per liter). Fibers dominated in both environments, with common polymers including HDPE, PET, and polystyrene traced to domestic, industrial, and recreational activities in the region. The contamination of this protected wetland signals that globally significant ecosystems in North Africa are not insulated from the microplastics crisis, and the authors call for better waste management and industrial controls.
The Ramsar Convention recognizes the Macta marshes as a wetland of international importance due to their high biological diversity. However, the existence of plastic debris poses a risk to this environment. This study is the first in Algeria to investigate the abundance, physical and chemical identification of microplastics (MPs) in sediments and surface water of the Macta marshes. MPs were extracted using organic matter removal with 30% H2O2 and density separation with ZnCl2. We examined the physical characteristics (shapes and colors) of MPs under a stereomicroscope, the size was measured using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and their polymer types were identified using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The average abundance of MPs was 253.54± 273.84 MPs/kg in sediments and 3.82± 3.14 MPs/L in surface water. Observation under the stereomicroscope revealed four MPs shapes: fibers, fragments, pellets, and films. Fibers are dominant in both sediments (80.73%) and surface water (74.41%). Red (37.27%) > black (21.52%) > transparent (15.33%) particles were the most frequent colors in sediments, whereas transparent (27.91%) > red (23.84%) > black (18.60%) dominated in surface water. SEM analysis indicated a predominance of small-sized MPs, while FTIR identified the presence of several polymer types, including HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate, PS (Polystyrene), PE (Polyethylene), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene), ASA (Acrylonitrile-Styrene-Acrylate), and PAN (Polyacrylonitrile). In the study area, domestic, industrial, marine, and recreational activities are the main sources of microplastic contamination in the Macta marshes. This pollution can be reduced through improved waste management, wastewater treatment, industrial regulation, and public awareness.
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