article · Waste Management Bulletin
Evaluation of microplastic pollution in surface waters of Al Hoceima Bay in Morocco across nine stations between 2019 and 2021 used Manta net sampling and Raman spectroscopy. Microplastic abundance ranged from 1 to 15 items per cubic metre, averaging 4.70 items per cubic metre. Predominant particle forms included fibres, fragments, pellets, and films. Most particles measured between 0.15 and 5 millimetres, with the 0.3 to 0.5 millimetre range comprising nearly half of all detected items. White and blue were the most common among seven observed colours. Chemical analysis identified four primary polymers: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate, with polyethylene representing over two-thirds of all material. Particle distribution varied spatially and showed no correlation with the distance from potential pollution sources. This assessment establishes initial baseline data for future marine pollution monitoring across the south-western Mediterranean basin.
Marine plastic pollution threatens aquatic ecosystems and coastal environments. Baseline measurements of microplastic concentration, polymer composition, and particle sizes along the Moroccan Mediterranean coast offer essential benchmarks. These data help environmental regulators and marine conservation bodies understand the prevalence and nature of surface plastic debris, supporting future regional monitoring and pollution mitigation strategies in the Mediterranean basin.
The abstract does not indicate a direct commercialisation pathway. The findings represent early-stage environmental baseline monitoring, providing empirical data on coastal polymer contamination that could inform future monitoring services, environmental consultancy assessments, or waste management strategies used by public authorities and marine managers.
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In this study, we evaluated the pollution in Al Hoceima Bay (Southwestern Mediterranean, Morocco) by microplastics. Nine stations were investigated in 2019, 2020, and 2021, using the Manta net and the microplastics were identified and quantified with Raman Spectroscopy. The obtained results showed that fibers, fragments, pellets, and films were the predominant types of microplastics. The dominant size of microplastics ranged from 0.15 to5 mm while 0.3-0.5 mm was the most prevalent with 46.97%. Seven colours counting white and blue as dominant items were recorded. The abundance of microplastics was 1-15 items/m3, with an average of 4.70±4.50 items/m3. Four polymers dominated by Polyethylene (67.4%), Polypropylene (23.2%), Polystyrene (7.1%), and Polyethylene Terephthalates (2.3%) were identified. The spatial distribution of microplastics was variable. The abundance of microplastics was not related to the distance separating potential sources from the sampled stations. Our study provided the initial data on microplastics and their distribution along the Mediterranean coasts of Morocco, recommended for future investigations of marine pollution in the Mediterranean basin.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.wmb.2024.01.003
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