Microplastic pollution in the sediments of Sidi Mansour Harbor in Southeast Tunisia. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chouchene, Khawla; da Costa, João Pinto; Wali, Ahmed; Girão, Ana V.; Hentati, Olfa; Duarte, Armando C.; Rocha-Santos, Teresa; Ksibi, Mohamed
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 146(2019)
• Page Start: 92
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Aquatic environment -- Sediments -- Microplastics -- Polyethylene -- Polypropylene -- Pollution; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.06.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Despite the increasing interest in microplastic (MP) research, the accurate prevalence, distribution and fate of these materials in the environment is yet poorly known and, consequently, a focus of debate. Hence, to better ascertain the presence of microplastics in specific environments, samples from 35 random sites distributed across a 4200-meter long section from the area of Sidi Mansour, Sfax-Tunisia, were collected and analyzed. MPs were extracted, digested with potassium hydroxide and dyed with Eosin B, for visual microscopy counting and sorting. Polymer composition and surface morphology were identified by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and SEM microscopy. Total abundances ranged from 252 to-5332 particles per m 2 where fragments and granules were the most frequent types of microplastics. These findings highlight the considerable presence of these materials in the studied harbor region and underscore the density dependence on the distribution and occurrence of MPs and how these tend to accumulate in the sandy sediments. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Sidi Mansour harbor sediments were characterized for microplastics (MPs). MPs were assessed, characterized and enumerated at 35 sites along 5 lines. These MPs were varied in color, size, shape and chemical composition. Fragments and granules shapes were the majority of MPs in all samples. PE and PP were the most prevalent MPs in the sediment.