Accumulation and Distribution of Microplastic Particles in Recent Coastal Sediments from Specific Areas of the Syrian Coast and Determination of Medium Energy

Despite the numerous benefits plastics have brought to our daily lives, they have also introduced many unexpected and serious environmental challenges, particularly for marine environments, their ecosystems, and sediments. This research holds significant importance as it addresses microplastic pollution, a pressing contemporary issue that demands solutions. It marks the first study of its kind on the Syrian coast, utilizing sediments to identify and quantify microplastics, as well as to determine their sizes and the primary human activities contributing to their spread. A comprehensive study was conducted on sediment samples from specific areas along the Syrian coast-Wadi Qandel, Banias, and Al-Mantar-to analyse particle sizes, characterize the sedimentary environment, assess the energy of the medium (indicating the strength of sea currents and waves), extract microplastics from the sediments, and elucidate the relationship between microplastic distribution and sediment composition. To achieve those goals, 72 samples were collected from the areas during the summer of 2023. Through the study, it was revealed that all three areas are contaminated with microplastics. A total of 37 particles were extracted from Al-Mantar, 21 particles from Banias, and 13 particles from Wadi Qandel. These particles were examined under a microscope to analyse their shape, size, and color. The analysis confirmed that all samples contained microplastics, with a positive correlation observed between sediment types and the distribution of microplastics. The sedimentary environment was characterized using linear discriminant function (LDF) analysis, which revealed that the sediments in Wadi Qandel and Banias were influenced by both marine and riverine processes, while marine processes dominated in Al-Mantar. Furthermore, CM diagram analysis indicated that the sediments in Wadi Qandel and Banias underwent rolling, whereas those in Al-Mantar were unaffected by this process. This suggests that strong currents and waves were prevalent in Wadi Qandel and Banias, while Al-Mantar experienced relatively calm conditions.