Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution, abundance, and composition in the sediments, water, and fishes of the Red and Mediterranean seas, Egypt

Microplastics were found in surface water, sediment, and fish tissues across Red Sea and Mediterranean sites in Egypt, with the highest concentrations near ports and river mouths, and polyethylene and polypropylene dominating the polymer composition in both water bodies.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastics Pollution in Marine Water Along Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution at nine beach locations along the Gulf of Suez, Egypt, identifying 1,982 microplastic debris particles in water samples via microscopy and characterizing various morphologies, providing baseline data on spatial fluctuations of microplastic contamination in this Red Sea region.

2025 Journal of Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the marine environment of the Red Sea – A short review

Researchers review the growing body of evidence on microplastic pollution in the Red Sea, where studies conducted over the past five years reveal significant contamination in the water, sediments, and marine life. This matters because the Red Sea supports major fisheries and tourism, and microplastics that accumulate in seafood can ultimately reach humans who eat it.

2022 The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in marine invertebrates from the Red Sea Coast of Egypt: Abundance, composition, and risks

This is the first study to document microplastics in marine invertebrates along Egypt's Red Sea coast, examining 11 species of clams, snails, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Every animal sampled contained microplastics, with filter-feeding bivalves showing the highest concentrations per gram of tissue. The plastics identified were linked to tourism-related sources, highlighting how coastal recreation contributes to wildlife contamination.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Low Abundance of Plastic Fragments in the Surface Waters of the Red Sea

Floating plastic debris was found at relatively low abundance along 1,500 km of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coastline, dominated by small plastic fragments. Despite lower densities than some other ocean regions, plastic pollution is present throughout this important semi-enclosed sea.

2017 Frontiers in Marine Science 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and distribution of plastic particles along Alexandria beaches, Mediterranean Coast of Egypt, using microscopy and thermal analysis techniques

Researchers characterized plastic particles in sediments and surface water along Alexandria beaches in Egypt, finding mean concentrations of 389 items per kilogram dry sediment and 457 items per cubic meter in surface water. Thermogravimetric and calorimetric analysis identified 10 polymer types, with low-density polyethylene dominant, and linked contamination primarily to single-use plastic bags, detergent packaging, and seafaring activities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Monitoring of Microplastics in the Marine Environment and Their Ecological Risks; the Coastline of Alexandria, Egypt as a Case study

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive monitoring of microplastics along the Alexandria coastline in Egypt, sampling surface water, beach sediment, and bed sediment across five stations during two seasons in 2020 and applying the polymer hazard index and potential ecological risk index to evaluate risk. They found higher microplastic abundance in the wet season, with fiber-shaped particles dominating and beach sediment containing more microplastics than bed sediment.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Article Tier 2

Marine litter in the Red Sea: Status and policy implications.

This review assessed marine litter in the Red Sea using a structured framework and found that the ecosystem faces growing threats from both land-based and sea-based plastic sources, despite limited regional research. The authors call for stronger regional and national policy responses to protect the Red Sea's unique biodiversity from plastic contamination.

2023 Marine pollution bulletin
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic pollution in the Gulf of Suez: Abundance and polymeric composition in beach sediments

This study assessed microplastic abundance and polymer composition in sediments along the Gulf of Suez shores, identifying 268 microplastic particles with an average of 204.3 particles per kilogram of dry sediment, reflecting contamination from the region's intense shipping and industrial activities.

2023 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the total microplastic stock in the eastern red sea

Researchers assessed the total microplastic stock in the eastern Red Sea by collecting sediment and water column samples from the Farasan area, addressing the limited attention this region has received despite rapid urbanization, tourism development, and critical shipping routes. The study characterized microplastic levels, distribution patterns, and polymer types in a unique marine ecosystem ahead of new international plastic pollution regulations.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the total microplastic stock in the eastern red sea

Researchers assessed microplastic distribution in the Eastern Red Sea from the Farasan Islands to the Gulf of Aqaba during the 2022 Red Sea Decade Expedition, collecting 60 sediment core samples via remotely operated vehicle and 145 water column samples across bathypelagic, mesopelagic, and epipelagic layers. The study addressed a major data gap for this underinvestigated but ecologically significant region with rapidly expanding urbanisation and tourism.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in the Red Sea: A comprehensive analysis from the air to the seafloor

Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of plastic pollution across multiple environmental compartments of the Red Sea — including surface water, the water column, and deep-sea sediments — finding that deep-sea sediments hold up to 80% of microplastics in the basin and that subsurface water layers act as significant reservoirs, complicating global microplastic load estimates based solely on surface water data.

2025 KAUST Research Repository
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastic Pollution Along the Red Sea Coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Researchers conducted a detailed physical, chemical, and morphological analysis of microplastics collected from the Red Sea coast near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using a suite of advanced techniques including electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. They found that particles were predominantly weathered polyethylene terephthalate (PET), showing signs of significant degradation from sun, salt, and wave exposure. The study identifies urban runoff, coastal activities, and industrial discharge as likely sources, providing the first detailed characterization of microplastics in this unique marine environment.

2025 Indian Journal of Fibre and Textile Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Pollution in Aquatic Environment: A Review of Abundance, Distribution, and Composition in the Egyptian Coastal Waters

This review compiles data on microplastic pollution across Egypt's Mediterranean coast, the Nile River, and the Red Sea, all of which face significant plastic contamination. Researchers found that the Mediterranean is a global hotspot for marine plastic accumulation, while the Nile acts as a major conduit for plastics entering the eastern Mediterranean basin. The study calls for more systematic monitoring to understand the full scope of microplastic pollution in Egyptian waters.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments and fish from the Red Sea coast at Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)

Microplastics were found in nearshore sediments at all sampled stations along the Jeddah coast of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea, and in about half of 140 sampled fish. The findings demonstrate that even the Red Sea — an important but less-studied ocean region — is experiencing widespread microplastic contamination.

2019 Environmental Chemistry 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Composition and Distribution Across the Pelagic and Benthic Zones of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Researchers sampled microplastics at multiple depths in the Gulf of Aqaba — from surface waters down to 840-meter-deep seafloor sediments — and found that particle size decreased with depth while fiber shapes dominated in open water and fragments accumulated on the seafloor. Concentrations reached nearly 7 particles per liter at the surface and 2,900 particles per kilogram of sediment. The study provides a baseline for monitoring this relatively understudied part of the Red Sea, which is important for regional fisheries and coral reef health.

2026 Water
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and Distribution of Microplastic Particles in Recent Coastal Sediments from Specific Areas of the Syrian Coast and Determination of Medium Energy

This first study of microplastic pollution on the Syrian coast analyzed particles from coastal sediments collected at different sites and depths, identifying dominant plastic types and linking their distribution to specific human activities including tourism, fishing, and urban runoff.

2025 Journal of King Abdulaziz University-Marine Sciences
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Analysis of the Marine Environment in Ras Tanura

Researchers analyzed microplastics in the marine environment at Ras Tanura, a major industrial port in Saudi Arabia, characterizing particle types, polymer composition, and distribution patterns. Contamination was found across sediment and water samples, reflecting both local industrial and shipping sources.

2024 Journal of Student Research
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic abundance and impact on recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline

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.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and quantification of microplastics in surface water of a southwestern Mediterranean Bay (Al Hoceima, Morocco)

Researchers sampled surface water in a Mediterranean bay in Morocco over three years and found microplastics at concentrations up to 15 particles per cubic meter, with polyethylene being the most common polymer — providing the first baseline data on microplastic pollution along Morocco's Mediterranean coastline.

2024 Waste Management Bulletin 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and macro-plastics in beach sediment of the Algerian western coast: First data on distribution, characterization, and source

Researchers conducted the first survey of micro- and macro-plastic pollution on nine beaches along 124 km of Algeria's western coast, finding plastic concentrations varying from 7.6 to 66 items/m2 with fragments dominating at 83% and pellets comprising nearly 15% of microplastics.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution in a coral reef climate refuge: Occurrence of anthropogenic debris, microplastics, and plasticizers in the Gulf of Aqaba

Plastic debris, microplastics, and plasticizer concentrations were quantified in seawater and sediment of the Gulf of Aqaba coral reef system over time, finding increasing contamination that threatens this coral refuge despite its distance from major plastic sources.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Eastern Arabian Sea: Decision support tools for monitoring and environmental risk reduction

Researchers quantified microplastic concentrations in the Eastern Arabian Sea, finding a mean of 0.13 particles per cubic metre (range 0.02-0.71), and used hydrodynamic and particle tracking models to assess the fate and distribution of microplastics in coastal environments. The study developed decision support tools and contamination indices to assist monitoring and environmental risk reduction strategies in the region.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of persistent and emerging pollutants levels in marine bivalves in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

This study is the first to document microplastic contamination in marine bivalves from the Gulf of Suez in Egypt, finding plastic particles in 72% of specimens examined. Alongside microplastics, the researchers also measured trace metals, hydrocarbons, and pesticides, noting that certain contaminant levels could pose a low risk to people who consume these shellfish.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations