Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Seasonal variation of microplastics density in Algerian surface waters (South-Western Mediterranean Sea)

Researchers monitored seasonal variation in microplastic density in Algerian surface waters of the south-western Mediterranean Sea, documenting temporal patterns in microplastic concentrations in an understudied region of the Mediterranean.

2021 Mediterranean Marine Science 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of surface sediment microplastics and litter from North African coasts of Mediterranean Sea: Preliminary research and first evidence

Researchers conducted the first investigation of microplastic and macro-litter contamination along North African Mediterranean coasts in the Gulf of Annaba, Algeria. Five types of microplastics were identified, with fibers being the most common at 70%, and polyethylene the dominant polymer. The distribution of contamination was linked to proximity to populated areas, wastewater discharges, and industrial installations.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics spatiotemporal distribution and variability in marine habitats along the North-Western Mediterranean coastal waters.

Researchers assessed microplastic spatiotemporal distribution across multiple Mediterranean marine habitat types including water surface, sediment, and biota, revealing significant variability by location and season. The multi-compartment approach showed that no single habitat type captures the full extent of microplastic contamination.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Assessment of microplastic pollution: distribution, composition, and sources in the El-Mellah (Algeria) and Bizerte (Tunisia) Mediterranean lagoons

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution in two North African Mediterranean lagoons — El-Mellah (Algeria) and Bizerte (Tunisia) — quantifying abundance, spatial distribution, morphological shapes, and polymer composition to characterize contamination sources and risk to coastal ecosystems.

2025 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A
Article Tier 2

Microplastics spatiotemporal distribution and variability in marine habitats along the North-Western Mediterranean coastal waters.

Researchers mapped microplastic distribution across multiple marine habitat types along the Mediterranean coast, examining spatial and temporal variability from the water surface to the sediment. The study revealed that microplastic abundance and composition differ substantially by habitat, underscoring the need for multi-compartment monitoring.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear 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

Abundance and distribution of environmental microplastic in edible fish and mussels from the south Mediterranean coasts

Scientists found microplastics in every fish and mussel sample examined from the Algerian Mediterranean coast, with six common plastic types identified including polypropylene and polyethylene. The contaminated species are widely consumed by local populations. This study adds to growing evidence that people eating seafood are regularly exposed to microplastics, and helps establish baseline pollution data for an understudied region.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from al-hoceima bay (southwestern mediterranean, morocco)

Researchers characterized the distribution and properties of microplastics in marine sediments from Al-Hoceima Bay on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, a biodiversity-rich area increasingly threatened by coastal development and maritime traffic through the Strait of Gibraltar.

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

Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Beach Sediments Along the Eastern Algerian Coast: Distribution Patterns, Abundance, and Potential Origins

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in beach sediments at three sites along the eastern Algerian coast in the Gulf of Bejaia. Using sodium chloride flotation and standardized sampling across 100 square meter transects, they quantified microplastic density, size distribution, and polymer types. The study provides baseline data on coastal microplastic pollution levels in Algeria and highlights the connection between local human activities and beach sediment contamination.

2026 Water Environment Research
Article Tier 2

Investigating Microplastics in the Mediterranean Coastal Areas – Case Study of Al-Hoceima Bay, Morocco

Researchers investigated microplastic presence and distribution in the semi-enclosed Al-Hoceima Bay, Morocco, characterizing contamination patterns in Mediterranean coastal waters affected by anthropogenic activities along the coastline.

2023 Journal of Ecological Engineering 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of the Distribution and Dynamic of Microplastic in Water and Biota: A Study Case From the Gulf of Gabes (Southern Mediterranean Sea)

Researchers found microplastics in all surface water samples and in the digestive tracts of multiple commercially important marine species in the Gulf of Gabes, Southern Mediterranean, revealing widespread contamination in a previously understudied region.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination by microplastics in the Bay of Marseille (Gulf of Lion, France): an integrative diagnosis from the surface to depth

Researchers conducted an integrative assessment of microplastic contamination across all marine compartments of the Bay of Marseille - from surface waters to depth - addressing the 'Missing Plastic Paradox' caused by studies that focus only on surface measurements. The study combined surface sampling with water column and sediment analysis to produce a comprehensive estimate of microplastic stocks in the Mediterranean's Gulf of Lion.

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

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in marine sediments from al-hoceima bay (southwestern mediterranean, morocco)

Researchers examined the presence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments from nine stations in Al-Hoceima Bay on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, sampling with Van Veen grabs during 2019, 2020, and 2021 and analyzing particles via optical microscopy. They identified fibers, fragments, foams, and films as the dominant microplastic types, documenting pollution levels in a biodiverse but increasingly anthropogenically pressured coastal zone.

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

An evaluation of surface micro- and mesoplastic pollution in pelagic ecosystems of the Western Mediterranean Sea

Researchers found that micro- and mesoplastic debris were widely and uniformly distributed across the Western Mediterranean Sea, with average surface concentrations of approximately 130,000 microplastic particles per km2 and 5,700 mesoplastic particles per km2. Fragment morphology and polymer composition analysis indicated a predominantly land-based origin for the debris.

2015 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 173 citations
Article Tier 2

CONTAMINATION BY MICROPLASTICS IN THE BAY OF MARSEILLE (Gulf of Lion, France): AN INTEGRATIVE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE SURFACE TO THE SEAFLOOR

Researchers conducted an integrative biannual survey of microplastic distribution in the Bay of Marseille from 2020 to 2023, measuring concentrations in surface waters, the water column, and surface sediments at 15 stations, and also constructing a historical contamination record back to the 1950s from a sediment core. Mean concentrations of 5.83 MPs/m3 in surface waters and 865 MPs/kg dry sediment were found, with no statistically significant spatiotemporal trends except in one winter survey, highlighting the need to include all marine compartments to avoid underestimating total microplastic stocks.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea: Deposition in coastal shallow sediments, spatial variation and preferential grain size

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.

2016 Marine Environmental Research 617 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast

Researchers surveyed fourteen beaches along the northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean coast and found microplastics in every sediment sample, averaging about 59 particles per kilogram of dry sand. Fibers were the dominant shape at nearly 78%, with tourism, fishing, and wastewater discharges identified as the most likely pollution sources. The findings indicate moderate but widespread microplastic contamination along this coastline.

2025 Water 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Persistence and potential increasing accumulation of microplastic pollution on the Skikda coast (northeastern Algeria)

Microplastic surveys of five beaches along the Skikda coast in Algeria found average abundances of over 6,000 items/m in both spring and autumn — the highest recorded in Algeria — dominated by fragments, pellets, foams, and fibers.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

First evidence of plastic pollution in beach sediments of the Skikda coast (northeast of Algeria)

Researchers conducted the first survey of plastic pollution in beach sediments along the Gulf of Skikda in Algeria, detecting mesoplastics and microplastics at all seven sampled beaches, with microplastics being the most abundant size fraction and fragments dominating over films and pellets.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 31 citations
Article Tier 2

First assessment of microplastics in offshore sediments along the Lebanese coast, South-Eastern Mediterranean

Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastic contamination in offshore sediments along the Lebanese coast in the southeastern Mediterranean Sea, characterizing particle abundance, morphology, size distribution, and polymer types. The study found measurable microplastic concentrations in all sampled sediment sites, contributing baseline data to fill a geographic gap in Mediterranean microplastic research.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of sediment contamination by macro and microplastics in coastal waters of Southern Mediterranean: a case study of Annaba, Algeria, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers assessed plastic pollution in coastal sediments of Annaba, Algeria, comparing conditions before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. They found both macroplastics and microplastics at all sampling sites, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types. The study suggests that pandemic-related disposable products contributed to increased coastal plastic contamination in the region.

2024 Archives of Environmental Protection 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Beached microplastics in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrence on two beaches in the Northwestern Mediterranean Gulf of Lion, finding significant concentrations of fragments and pellets in beach sediments with notable variation between beach zones and sampling periods over a one-month interval.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 122 citations