%0 Journal Article 
%A Azaaouaj, Soria
%A Er-Ramy, Noureddine
%A Nachite, Driss
%A Anfuso Melfi, Giorgio
%T Presence, Spatial Distribution, and Characteristics of Microplastics in Beach Sediments Along the Northwestern Moroccan Mediterranean Coast
%D 2025
%@ 2073-4441
%U http://hdl.handle.net/10498/37972
%X Microplastics (MPs) (<5 mm) are recognized as an emerging global problem
in all oceans and coastlines around the world. This paper provided the quantification
and characteristics of microplastics found on fourteen beaches along the northwestern
Moroccan Mediterranean coast. A total of 42 samples were gathered at a depth of 5 cm
along the shoreline using a quadrant of 1 m × 1 m. Microplastics were detected in all
sediment samples. The average abundance was 59.33 ± 34.38 MPs kg−1 of dry weight
(median: 48.33 MPs kg−1
), ranging from 22 ± 7.21 to 135.33 ± 38.80 MPs kg−1
. Statistical
analyses revealed significant differences between sampling sites. All observed microplastics
were classified according to their shape, color, and size. The microplastic shapes comprised
fibrous MPs (77.61%), fragments (15.65%), films (4.49%), foams (1.85%), and pellets (0.40%).
Microplastic particles in the sediment samples ranged from 0.063 to 5 mm in length and
were composed of small (54.3%, <1 mm) and large sizes (45.7%, 1–5 mm). The size fractions
with the greatest percentage of MPs were 1–2 mm (24.9%). The dominant color of the
microplastics was transparent (43.2%), followed by black (15.8%) and blue (13.3%), with
shapes that were mainly angular and irregular. The present results indicate a moderate
level of microplastic contamination on the beaches throughout the northern Moroccan
Mediterranean coast, and tourism, fishing activities, and wastewater discharges as the most
relevant sources.
%K beach pollution
%K marine debris
%K fishing activities
%K wastewater
%~ Universidad de Cádiz