Marine plastic pollution in Morocco: state of the knowledge on origin, occurrence, fate, and management.

Plastic pollution presents a major challenge facing stakeholders and decision-making worldwide. Plastics in the ocean damage biodiversity and marine ecosystem services that the blue economy relies upon. The present work analyses and reviews the literature on plastic pollution and the background knowledge about marine plastic pollution in Morocco.

Geochemical speciation, ecological risk, and source identification of heavy metal(loid)s in sediments and waters from Musa Estuary, Persian Gulf.

Surface sediment and water samples from 12 stations were collected from Musa Estuary. Metals concentrations (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) were analyzed by ICP-MS. The highest contribution to ecological risk belonged to Cd (49 %) based on the PERI index.

Disposal Behavior of Used Masks during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Moroccan Community: Potential Environmental Impact.

The spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) levied on the Moroccan authorities to increase their mask production capacity, which reached up to 12 million facemask units produced per day. This increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) production and consumption is an efficient tool to address the spread of COVID-19. However, this results in more plastic and microplastic debris being added into the land and marine environments, which will harm the ecosystem, wildlife, and public health.

Air quality change during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown over the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.

Unlabelled: Under the rapid spread of coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) worldwide, a complete lockdown was imposed in France from March 17th to May 11th, 2020 to limit the virus spread. This lockdown affected significantly the atmospheric pollution levels due to the restrictions of human activities. In the present study, we investigate the evolution of air quality in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, focusing on nine atmospheric pollutants (NO, NO, PM, PM, O, VOC, CO, SO, and isoprene).

Recent pollution records in Sidi Moussa coastal lagoon (western Morocco) inferred from sediment radiometric dating.

The Sidi Moussa lagoon, located in western coastal Morocco and ranked as a wetland of biological and ecological importance (Ramsar site), is contaminated due to its proximity to the industrial phosphate plants and other anthropogenic activities around it. This study was carried out to assess the current environmental state of the lagoon as well as historical inputs of pollutants over several decades. Three sediment cores were collected and analyzed for the determination radionuclide activities (Pb, Ra, U and Cs) by gamma spectrometry and element concentrations by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry.

Evidence for a recent increase in delivery of atmospheric Pb to Oualidia lagoon, coastal Morocco.

Two sediment cores were collected from the Oualidia lagoon, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, and analyzed for Pb and Cs activity by gamma spectrometry. The Pb profiles were characterized by high activity at specific depths in each core, which were attributed to substantial increases in atmospheric Pb input to the sediment. A modified CRS model was applied to develop age-depth relations (chronologies) for the cores and calculate sediment accumulation rates, taking into account changing unsupported Pb delivery and specifying the year when the increase began.

Geochemical, radiometric, and environmental approaches for the assessment of the intensity and chronology of metal contamination in the sediment cores from Oualidia lagoon (Morocco).

The present study evaluates the distribution of metals over the last 100 years in the Oualidia lagoon by examining their concentrations in the sediment cores. The samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Activities of Pb, Ra, and Cs were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry for establishing the age-depth relationships throughout the sediment cores by applying conventional models.