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A multi-compartment assessment from surface waters to sediments of microplastic pollution in the southern Mediterranean sea: A case study of BouIsmail Bay, Algeria
Summary
Researchers investigated the spatial distribution, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics in surface water and seafloor sediments at multiple coastal and offshore stations in BouIsmail Bay on Algeria's southern Mediterranean coast during summer 2023, using KOH digestion and density separation for extraction. The multi-compartment assessment found polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the most common polymers with fragments dominant in surface waters and fibers dominant in sediments, providing new baseline data for the under-characterised southern Mediterranean.
Microplastic pollution is an increasing anthropogenic pressure on coastal marine ecosystems, particularly in semi-enclosed seas such as the Mediterranean. This study investigates the spatial distribution, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics in BouIsmail Bay, located on the southern Mediterranean coast of Algeria. Samples of surface water and seafloor sediments were collected from multiple coastal and offshore stations in summer of 2023. Microplastics were extracted using potassium hydroxide (KOH) digestion in seawater and KOH digestion combined with density separation in seafloor sediments. Particles were quantified, classified by shape, color, and size, and identified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed relatively uniform concentrations across offshore and coastal stations, with seawater samples comprising 1.16 ± 0.8 items/m and sediment samples comprising 0.36 ± 0.2 items/g. Horizontal distribution was influenced by proximity to urbanized areas and wadis, while vertical distribution was likely affected by biological interactions such as biofouling and incorporation into organic aggregates (e.g., diatoms) or mineral particles. Morphological analysis indicated a predominance of fragments in surface waters, whereas fibers dominated the sediments. FTIR analysis identified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the most common polymers. Phytoplankton analysis, conducted in parallel, revealed marked variations in the relative abundance of major phytoplankton groups, with exceptional blooms of Prorocentrum spp. coinciding with areas of highest microplastic concentrations. These findings provide a valuable baseline for understanding microplastic dynamics in southern Mediterranean coastal areas and highlight the urgent need for improved plastic waste management and environmental monitoring policies in Algeria.