Determination of microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and fish on the northeastern Libyan coast

Microplastic (MP) pollution in marine waters has become a major global threat due to persistence, ecological impacts, and potential risks to human health. The microplastics were analyzed in surface water, bed sediments and the gastrointestinal in fish at the coastal line of Sousa and Alhaniyah coastline, Libya. The quantity, size range, color variation, and polymer composition of microplastics were studied. MPs in water samples ranged from 33.3% in Alhaniyah to 68% in Sousa, whereas bed sediment pollution was almost similar in both regions (33.3%-33.7%). In fish species, pollution was higher in Sousa (47.46%) compared to Alhaniyah (20.43%). MPs detected varied in size from 1.0 to 5.0 mm with larger particles more dominant in sediments and smaller particles in fish. Nine different microplastic colors were analyzed with blue most common, followed by black, green, white, transparent, yellow, glossy, red and brown. The rayon, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, alkyd resin, and polyethylene terephthalate were found in Alhaniyah while Sousa contained rayon, polyamide, alkyd resin, and polyacrylonitrile. These differences suggested distinct pollution sources affecting each region. The study showed microplastic pollution in the coastal line of Sousa and Alhaniyah coastline, Libya. There is an urgent need for the identification of pollution sources and management of plastic pollution to save the marine ecology in these regions.