Microplastic inputs to the Mediterranean Sea during wet and dry seasons: The case of two Lebanese coastal outlets.

Few studies have highlighted the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on the quantity of microplastics (MPs) discharged into the sea through rivers. To evaluate this issue in the Mediterranean Basin, surface water samples were collected from two more or less urbanized Lebanese Rivers: the Nahr Ibrahim (S1) and the Nahr Antelias (S2), during dry and wet periods. A significant higher abundance of 14.

First assessment of microplastics in offshore sediments along the Lebanese coast, South-Eastern Mediterranean.

Few studies on microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment have been conducted along the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and even fewer along the Lebanese coast. This study aims to determine MPs contamination for the first-time in coastal and continental shelf sediments collected along the Lebanese shores, South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Sediments were collected as transects in 10 sites with a total of 23 samples between 2 and 120 m depth and suspected MPs were assessed by moving farther from land-based sources.

Concentrations of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) and Its Analogue 4,9-Anhydro TTX in Different Tissues of the Silver-Cheeked Pufferfish (, Gmelin, 1789) Caught in the South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon.

Pufferfishes are among the best-known marine organisms that accumulate marine biotoxins such as Tetrodotoxin (TTX). In the Mediterranean Sea, the silver-cheeked toadfish is the most reported TTX-bearer, causing many fatal and non-fatal cases. In Lebanon, no previous studies have measured TTX levels although the possibility of TTX-poisoning is high since is caught in different sizes and can be mistaken with other small fishes.

Two cetacean species reveal different long-term trends for toxic trace elements in European Atlantic French waters.

Cetaceans have been naturally exposed to toxic trace elements (TEs) on an evolutionary time scale. Hence, they have developed mechanisms to control and/or mitigate their toxic effects. These long-lived species located at high trophic positions and bioaccumulating toxic elements are assumed to be good biomonitoring organisms.

Occurrence of domoic acid and cyclic imines in marine biota from Lebanon-Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Marine biotoxins are naturally existing chemicals produced by toxic algae and can accumulate in marine biota. When consumed with seafood, these phycotoxins can cause human intoxication with symptoms varying from barely-noticed illness to death depending on the type of toxin and its concentration. Recently, the occurrence of marine biotoxins has been given special attention in the Mediterranean as it increased in frequency and severity due to anthropogenic pressures and climate change.

Distribution and diagenesis of trace metals in marine sediments of a coastal Mediterranean area: St Georges Bay (Lebanon).

St Georges Bay of Lebanon's coast is an open bay to the Mediterranean Sea. It is exposed to numerous anthropogenic activities such as industrial effluent, untreated wastewater discharge and maritime activities resulting in increasing chemical contamination, especially with trace metals. Contamination with trace metals (Cu, Cd, Co, Pb, As, Ag and Hg) and the influence of early diagenesis on their distribution were studied on both sediments and waters.

Seasonal and Spatial Variability of Trace Elements in Livers and Muscles of Three Fish Species from the Eastern Mediterranean.

Levels of 20 trace elements (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Hg, Pb, and U) were assessed in livers and muscles of two demersal fish species (Siganus rivulatus and Lithognathus mormyrus) and one pelagic species (Etrumeus teres) from the Lebanese coast located in the Eastern Mediterranean. The samples were collected from three sites along the Lebanese coast during the wet and dry seasons in 2017. The trace elements were more concentrated in livers than in muscles and interspecific differences were also found.

Organochlorines in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013.

7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 6 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDXs) and 8 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in the blubber of 20 harbour porpoises stranded on the coasts of the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013. The results showed that porpoises that died from infectious diseases displayed significantly higher levels of PCBs in their blubber compared to healthy porpoises that died from physical trauma. ∑7CBs and ∑DDXs were higher in juvenile porpoises compared to adult females.

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea: an assessment through metallic contamination.

Throughout the last few years, the southern North Sea has witnessed an increase in the number of stranded marine mammals, particularly the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). This species is subject to several potential threats such as exposure to contaminants, changes in food supply, marine traffic and fishery by-catch. The aims of this study were to investigate potential associations between contaminants and health status and to analyze spatial and temporal trends of metal concentrations in harbour porpoises.