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Editorial: Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea
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This editorial introduces a special issue dedicated to microplastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, a semi-enclosed basin particularly vulnerable to plastic contamination. It outlines the research themes covered and highlights the importance of understanding regional microplastic dynamics.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution is a threat to the marine environment worldwide (Andrady, 2011) from the tropics to the poles (Waller et al., 2017). The Mediterranean Sea, a semi-closed basin, is heavily affected by this pollution as well (Llorca et al., 2020). The aim of this special issue was to collect the latest studies on MPs pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. MPs are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size that derive from industrial products (primary microplastics) or from the fragmentation of large plastic pieces (secondary microplastics) (Auta et al., 2017). MPs are found floating on the surface, along with those in the water column, in sediments, and up to the deep sea (Van Cawenberghe et al., 2013). MPs can be ingested by aquatic biota and they can be a vehicle for other pollutants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), that can be adsorbed and concentrated from the surrounding seawater. As a result, MPs can be transfer several toxic pollutants via the food chain (Fytianos et al., 2020). This editorial introduces to the Research Topic “Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea,” highlighting the pollution of MPs in this peculiar ecosystem and aiming at a better understanding of the occurrence, distribution, and toxicity presence and the study of MPs in the Mediterranean Sea.
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Editorial for the Special Issue “Microplastics in Aquatic Environments: Occurrence, Distribution and Effects”
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This editorial introduces a special journal issue on microplastics in aquatic environments, noting that inadequate waste management has made microplastics ubiquitous pollutants throughout freshwater and marine ecosystems. The collected papers cover microplastic occurrence, distribution, and ecological effects across a range of aquatic systems.
Microplastics in the Ocean
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This editorial introduces a special issue on microplastics, noting that the North Pacific Ocean and adjacent marginal seas exhibit particularly high levels of microplastic contamination relative to the global average. Researchers emphasize the need for coordinated regional monitoring to better characterize microplastic distribution, sources, and ecological impacts across the North Pacific.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean marine environment: a combined bibliometric and systematic analysis to identify current trends and challenges
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This systematic review analyzes microplastic research trends in the Mediterranean Sea region, where contamination levels are a growing concern. The study identifies key research areas and gaps in understanding how microplastics in this semi-enclosed sea affect marine life and could impact the health of the millions of people living along its coasts.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size
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Researchers sampled Mediterranean coastal shallow sediments and found microplastics throughout, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting land-based inputs and showing that coastal sediments are a significant regional reservoir for plastic debris.
Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Sources, Pollution Intensity, Sea Health, and Regulatory Policies
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This review examines the Mediterranean Sea as a global hotspot for microplastic pollution, with concentrations approximately four times higher than those found in the North Pacific Ocean. The sea's semi-enclosed geography and surrounding population density make it especially vulnerable to plastic contamination from land-based sources. Researchers found that microplastics are present throughout the water column, from surface waters to the deep sea floor, and that marine animals ingesting them may also be exposed to harmful chemicals attached to plastic surfaces.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.