Occurrence and risks of microplastics in the ecosystems of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

ABSTRACT: The ubiquitous nature of microplastics (MPs) in nature and the risks they pose on the environment and human health have led to an increased research interest in the topic. Despite being an area of high plastic production and consumption, studies on MPs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have been limited. However, the region witnessed a research surge in 2021 attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review, a total of 97 studies were analyzed based on their environmental compartments (marine, freshwater, air, and terrestrial) and matrices (sediments, water columns, biota, soil, etc.). Then, the MP concentrations and polymer types were utilized to conduct a risk assessment to provide a critical analysis of the data. The highest MP concentrations recorded in the marine wat

SUBMITTER: Malli A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10122206 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature